used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading And they were eyes which had been accustomed for years to read the characters of men of all nationalities, and of every walk in life.
(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 And they were eyes which had been accustomed for years to read the characters of men of all nationalities, and of every walk in life.
ambassadornounUS /æmˈbæsədər/
a diplomat of the highest rank; accredited as representative from one country to another
From this reading Nick Carter was seated in the private cabinet at the embassy, facing the ambassador.
AMBASSADOR'SnounUS /æmˈbæsədərz/
possessive form of “ambassador” — a diplomat of the highest rank; accredited as representative from one country to another
From this reading THE AMBASSADOR’S CABINET.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Nick Carter felt at once that this tall gentleman was a power within himself, and that nothing short of an explosion of dynamite at his feet could move him out of his habitual calm.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Nick Carter was seated in the private cabinet at the embassy, facing the ambassador.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
next to; at the side of
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
CABINETnounUS /ˈkæbənət/
a piece of furniture resembling a cupboard with doors and shelves and drawers; for storage or display
From this reading THE AMBASSADOR’S CABINET.
make calm or still
From this reading Nick Carter felt at once that this tall gentleman was a power within himself, and that nothing short of an explosion of dynamite at his feet could move him out of his habitual calm.
CarternounUS /ˈkɑːrtər/
Englishman and Egyptologist who in 1922 discovered and excavated the tomb of Tutankhamen (1873-1939)
From this reading Nick Carter was seated in the private cabinet at the embassy, facing the ambassador.
plural of “character” — an imaginary person represented in a work of fiction (play or film or story)
From this reading And they were eyes which had been accustomed for years to read the characters of men of all nationalities, and of every walk in life.
conductedverbUS /kənˈdʌktəd/
past form of “conduct” — direct the course of; manage or control
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Nick Carter felt at once that this tall gentleman was a power within himself, and that nothing short of an explosion of dynamite at his feet could move him out of his habitual calm.
czarnounUS /zɑːr/
a male monarch or emperor (especially of Russia prior to 1917)
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
a piece of furniture with a writing surface and usually drawers or other compartments
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
devouringadjectiveUS /dɪˈvaʊərɪŋ/
(often followed by “for”) ardently or excessively desirous
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
dynamitenounUS /ˈdaɪnəmaɪt/
an explosive containing nitrate sensitized with nitroglycerin absorbed on wood pulp
From this reading Nick Carter felt at once that this tall gentleman was a power within himself, and that nothing short of an explosion of dynamite at his feet could move him out of his habitual calm.
embassynounUS /ˈembəsi/
a diplomatic building where ambassadors live or work
From this reading Nick Carter was seated in the private cabinet at the embassy, facing the ambassador.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
explosionnounUS /ɪkˈsploʊʒən/
a violent release of energy caused by a chemical or nuclear reaction
From this reading Nick Carter felt at once that this tall gentleman was a power within himself, and that nothing short of an explosion of dynamite at his feet could move him out of his habitual calm.
opinion or judgment
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
facingnounUS /ˈfeɪsɪŋ/
a lining applied to the edge of a garment for ornamentation or strengthening
From this reading Nick Carter was seated in the private cabinet at the embassy, facing the ambassador.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading Nick Carter felt at once that this tall gentleman was a power within himself, and that nothing short of an explosion of dynamite at his feet could move him out of his habitual calm.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading Nick Carter felt at once that this tall gentleman was a power within himself, and that nothing short of an explosion of dynamite at his feet could move him out of his habitual calm.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And they were eyes which had been accustomed for years to read the characters of men of all nationalities, and of every walk in life.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
a man of refinement
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
habitualadjectiveUS /həˈbɪtʃuːəl/
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading Nick Carter felt at once that this tall gentleman was a power within himself, and that nothing short of an explosion of dynamite at his feet could move him out of his habitual calm.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Nick Carter felt at once that this tall gentleman was a power within himself, and that nothing short of an explosion of dynamite at his feet could move him out of his habitual calm.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Nick Carter was seated in the private cabinet at the embassy, facing the ambassador.
a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
inscrutableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈskruːtəbəl/
of an obscure nature
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
and nothing more
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading And they were eyes which had been accustomed for years to read the characters of men of all nationalities, and of every walk in life.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
the force of workers available
From this reading And they were eyes which had been accustomed for years to read the characters of men of all nationalities, and of every walk in life.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Nick Carter felt at once that this tall gentleman was a power within himself, and that nothing short of an explosion of dynamite at his feet could move him out of his habitual calm.
nationalitiesnounUS /ˌnæʃəˈnælɪtiz/
plural of “nationality” — people having common origins or traditions and often comprising a nation
From this reading And they were eyes which had been accustomed for years to read the characters of men of all nationalities, and of every walk in life.
NickverbUS /nɪk/
cut slightly, with a razor
From this reading Nick Carter was seated in the private cabinet at the embassy, facing the ambassador.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Nick Carter felt at once that this tall gentleman was a power within himself, and that nothing short of an explosion of dynamite at his feet could move him out of his habitual calm.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
on one occasion
From this reading Nick Carter felt at once that this tall gentleman was a power within himself, and that nothing short of an explosion of dynamite at his feet could move him out of his habitual calm.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Nick Carter felt at once that this tall gentleman was a power within himself, and that nothing short of an explosion of dynamite at his feet could move him out of his habitual calm.
piercingadjectiveUS /ˈpɪrsɪŋ/
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
possession of controlling influence
From this reading Nick Carter felt at once that this tall gentleman was a power within himself, and that nothing short of an explosion of dynamite at his feet could move him out of his habitual calm.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading Nick Carter was seated in the private cabinet at the embassy, facing the ambassador.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading And they were eyes which had been accustomed for years to read the characters of men of all nationalities, and of every walk in life.
representativenounUS /ˌreprəˈzentətɪv/
a person who represents others
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
-ing form of “rest” — not move; be in a resting position
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
an educational institution
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading Nick Carter was seated in the private cabinet at the embassy, facing the ambassador.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading Nick Carter felt at once that this tall gentleman was a power within himself, and that nothing short of an explosion of dynamite at his feet could move him out of his habitual calm.
having a supporting base
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
statelyadjectiveUS /ˈsteɪtli/
impressive in appearance
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
not in physical motion
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE AMBASSADOR’S CABINET.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading And they were eyes which had been accustomed for years to read the characters of men of all nationalities, and of every walk in life.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Nick Carter felt at once that this tall gentleman was a power within himself, and that nothing short of an explosion of dynamite at his feet could move him out of his habitual calm.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
the act of traveling by foot
From this reading And they were eyes which had been accustomed for years to read the characters of men of all nationalities, and of every walk in life.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Nick Carter was seated in the private cabinet at the embassy, facing the ambassador.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading And they were eyes which had been accustomed for years to read the characters of men of all nationalities, and of every walk in life.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading And they were eyes which had been accustomed for years to read the characters of men of all nationalities, and of every walk in life.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He had just been conducted to that room, and the ambassador, a tall, stately gentleman of the inscrutable school, every inch the representative of his czar, was still standing beside his desk, with one hand resting upon it, while he bent a little forward toward the detective, devouring him with his piercing eyes.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading Nick Carter felt at once that this tall gentleman was a power within himself, and that nothing short of an explosion of dynamite at his feet could move him out of his habitual calm.
a late time of life
From this reading And they were eyes which had been accustomed for years to read the characters of men of all nationalities, and of every walk in life.
