used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
a positive feeling of liking
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
(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 Now, you have, all three of you, proposed to me—none of you will deny that, I presume.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
BaronessnounUS /ˈberənɪs/
a noblewoman who holds the rank of baron or who is the wife or widow of a baron
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
boudoirnounUS /ˈbuːdɔɪr/
a lady's bedroom or private sitting room
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
plural of “companion” — a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
declare untrue; contradict
From this reading Now, you have, all three of you, proposed to me—none of you will deny that, I presume.
represented in words especially with sharpness and detail
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
any strong feeling
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
entertainverbUS /ˌentərˈteɪn/
provide entertainment for
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
be identical or equivalent to
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
expressingverbUS /ɪkˈspresɪŋ/
-ing form of “express” — give expression to
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
provided with whatever is necessary for a purpose (as furniture or equipment or authority)
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
geographicaladjectiveUS /ˌdʒiːəˈɡræfɪkəl/
of or relating to the science of geography
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
giftedadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪftəd/
endowed with talent or talents
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
plural of “guest” — a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
Guéran
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
harbouring
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
hardihoodnoun
the trait of being willing to undertake things that involve risk or danger
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Now, you have, all three of you, proposed to me—none of you will deny that, I presume.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
the state of being honored
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
hostessnounUS /ˈhoʊstəs/
a woman host
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
incapableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkeɪpəbəl/
(followed by “of”) lacking capacity or ability
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
individualsnounUS /ˌɪndəˈvɪdʒəwəlz/
plural of “individual” — a human being
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
a power to affect persons or events especially power based on prestige etc
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
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 Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
luxurynounUS /ˈlʌɡʒəri/
something that is an indulgence rather than a necessity
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
title used for a married Frenchwoman
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
marryingverbUS /ˈmeriɪŋ/
-ing form of “marry” — take in marriage
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
matter-of-factadjective
not fanciful or imaginative
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
the force of workers available
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
motionedverbUS /ˈmoʊʃənd/
past form of “motion” — show, express or direct through movement
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
not one and not the other of two
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
not one, and not any
From this reading Now, you have, all three of you, proposed to me—none of you will deny that, I presume.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now, you have, all three of you, proposed to me—none of you will deny that, I presume.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
obeyingverbUS /oʊˈbeɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “obey” — be obedient to
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
and nothing more
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
plungeverbUS /plʌndʒ/
thrust or throw into
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
having great power or force or potency or effect
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
presumeverbUS /prɪˈzuːm/
take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof
From this reading Now, you have, all three of you, proposed to me—none of you will deny that, I presume.
just preceding something else in time or order
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
past form of “propose” — make a proposal, declare a plan for something
From this reading Now, you have, all three of you, proposed to me—none of you will deny that, I presume.
punctualadjectiveUS /ˈpʌŋktʃuːəl/
acting or arriving or performed exactly at the time appointed
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
past form of “rouse” — become active
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
express in words
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
sincereadjectiveUS /sɪnˈsɪr/
open and genuine; not deceitful
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
the utterance of intelligible speech
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
happening unexpectedly
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
summonverbUS /ˈsʌmən/
call in an official matter, such as to attend court
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
theis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
unforseen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
precisely as stated
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
at the time that
From this reading Astonished at theis very matter-of-fact plunge, and off their guard by reason of so utterly unforseen an attack, neither of the three knew exactly which way to look, and when one of them, gifted with more hardihood than his companions, was on the point of speaking, Madame de Guéran motioned him to be silent, and went on herself to say—
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading Now, you have, all three of you, proposed to me—none of you will deny that, I presume.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading "In saying that you love me, gentlemen, I am really only expressing my opinion that you are men of honour, incapable of harbouring the idea of marrying any woman for whom you do not entertain a sincere affection.
set down in writing in any of various ways
From this reading The three individuals, to whom Madame de Guéran had written on the previous evening, were punctual in obeying her summon, and they were received by their hostess, not in the geographical boudoir which has already been described, but in a drawing-room furnished with equal luxury.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading After tea, or at very nearly ten o'clock, the Baroness de Guéran, after having been for some time under the influence of very powerful emotion, suddenly roused herself, and, looking her guests full in the face, said— "And so, gentlemen, you love me?"
