used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
(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 She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading "I want to talk with you alone," he said when she had taken her seat.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
burlyadjectiveUS /ˈbɜːrli/
muscular and heavily built
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading "Now we can talk business," said the man, drawing his chair up closer.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "Now we can talk business," said the man, drawing his chair up closer.
Can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Can't you send the others out?"
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading "Now we can talk business," said the man, drawing his chair up closer.
(comparative of “near” or “close”) within a shorter distance
From this reading "Now we can talk business," said the man, drawing his chair up closer.
an illustration that is drawn by hand and published in a book, magazine, or newspaper
From this reading "Now we can talk business," said the man, drawing his chair up closer.
evil-lookingadjective
having an evil appearance
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
the organ of sight
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
Gertrude
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading "I want to talk with you alone," he said when she had taken her seat.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I want to talk with you alone," he said when she had taken her seat.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "Now we can talk business," said the man, drawing his chair up closer.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I want to talk with you alone," he said when she had taken her seat.
interviewsnounUS /ˈɪntərvjuːz/
plural of “interview” — the questioning of a person (or a conversation in which information is elicited); often conducted by journalists
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
motionedverbUS /ˈmoʊʃənd/
past form of “motion” — show, express or direct through movement
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Now we can talk business," said the man, drawing his chair up closer.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Can't you send the others out?"
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "Can't you send the others out?"
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
express the need or desire for
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I want to talk with you alone," he said when she had taken her seat.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
express in words
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading "I want to talk with you alone," he said when she had taken her seat.
a person who is head of an administrative department of government
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
cause to go somewhere
From this reading "Can't you send the others out?"
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I want to talk with you alone," he said when she had taken her seat.
SkirmishingverbUS /ˈskɜːrmɪʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “skirmish” — engage in a skirmish
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
stenographernounUS /steˈnʌɡrəfər/
someone skilled in the transcription of speech (especially dictation)
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading "I want to talk with you alone," he said when she had taken her seat.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading "I want to talk with you alone," he said when she had taken her seat.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Can't you send the others out?"
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "Now we can talk business," said the man, drawing his chair up closer.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading "I want to talk with you alone," he said when she had taken her seat.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was surprised at the request and started to say that her private secretary must be present at all interviews; when she thought better of it and motioned the stenographer and Miss Snow to go out.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading "Now we can talk business," said the man, drawing his chair up closer.
at the time that
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Skirmishing When Gertrude returned to her office a man sat waiting for her, a big, burly looking man with an evil-looking eye.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I want to talk with you alone," he said when she had taken her seat.
