Chapter XVII

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

on the subject of; concerning

From this reading The duchess, as usual, held her court at the farther end of the room, and the crowd about her was so dense that I despaired of getting to her, and paused to look about me.

any specific behavior

From this reading Truly, a wonderful woman, but to me her activity seemed feverish.

(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Mlle. de Launay appeared to be everywhere at once, and left smiles behind her wherever she went.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading The duchess, as usual, held her court at the farther end of the room, and the crowd about her was so dense that I despaired of getting to her, and paused to look about me.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Mlle. de Launay appeared to be everywhere at once, and left smiles behind her wherever she went.

used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses

From this reading Mlle. de Launay appeared to be everywhere at once, and left smiles behind her wherever she went.

at or toward the back of something

From this reading Mlle. de Launay appeared to be everywhere at once, and left smiles behind her wherever she went.

of surpassing excellence

From this reading THE REGENT SHOWS HIS HAND The place was more brilliant than I had ever seen it.

plural of “burst” — the act of exploding or bursting

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before

From this reading Truly, a wonderful woman, but to me her activity seemed feverish.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business

From this reading The duchess, as usual, held her court at the farther end of the room, and the crowd about her was so dense that I despaired of getting to her, and paused to look about me.

marked by a tendency to find and call attention to errors and flaws

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

cause to herd, drive, or crowd together

From this reading The duchess, as usual, held her court at the farther end of the room, and the crowd about her was so dense that I despaired of getting to her, and paused to look about me.

overfilled or compacted or concentrated

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies

From this reading Mlle. de Launay appeared to be everywhere at once, and left smiles behind her wherever she went.

permitting little if any light to pass through because of denseness of matter

From this reading The duchess, as usual, held her court at the farther end of the room, and the crowd about her was so dense that I despaired of getting to her, and paused to look about me.

past form of “despair” — abandon hope; give up hope; lose heart

From this reading The duchess, as usual, held her court at the farther end of the room, and the crowd about her was so dense that I despaired of getting to her, and paused to look about me.

dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

the wife of a duke or a woman holding ducal title in her own right

From this reading The duchess, as usual, held her court at the farther end of the room, and the crowd about her was so dense that I despaired of getting to her, and paused to look about me.

plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

either extremity of something that has length

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

at any time

From this reading THE REGENT SHOWS HIS HAND The place was more brilliant than I had ever seen it.

all the members of a group, with none left out

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

to or in any or all places

From this reading Mlle. de Launay appeared to be everywhere at once, and left smiles behind her wherever she went.

more distant in especially space or time

From this reading The duchess, as usual, held her court at the farther end of the room, and the crowd about her was so dense that I despaired of getting to her, and paused to look about me.

marked by intense agitation or emotion

From this reading Truly, a wonderful woman, but to me her activity seemed feverish.

about to be mentioned or specified

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

produced by or subjected to forcing

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

the act of acquiring something

From this reading The duchess, as usual, held her court at the farther end of the room, and the crowd about her was so dense that I despaired of getting to her, and paused to look about me.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading THE REGENT SHOWS HIS HAND The place was more brilliant than I had ever seen it.

the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb

From this reading THE REGENT SHOWS HIS HAND The place was more brilliant than I had ever seen it.

occupied or in the control of; often used in combination

From this reading The duchess, as usual, held her court at the farther end of the room, and the crowd about her was so dense that I despaired of getting to her, and paused to look about me.

belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned

From this reading Mlle. de Launay appeared to be everywhere at once, and left smiles behind her wherever she went.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading THE REGENT SHOWS HIS HAND The place was more brilliant than I had ever seen it.

characterized by or arising from psychoneurotic hysteria

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading THE REGENT SHOWS HIS HAND The place was more brilliant than I had ever seen it.

a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading THE REGENT SHOWS HIS HAND The place was more brilliant than I had ever seen it.

the sound of laughing

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Mlle. de Launay appeared to be everywhere at once, and left smiles behind her wherever she went.

location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east

From this reading Mlle. de Launay appeared to be everywhere at once, and left smiles behind her wherever she went.

perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards

From this reading The duchess, as usual, held her court at the farther end of the room, and the crowd about her was so dense that I despaired of getting to her, and paused to look about me.

the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Mlle. de Launay appeared to be everywhere at once, and left smiles behind her wherever she went.

(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree

From this reading THE REGENT SHOWS HIS HAND The place was more brilliant than I had ever seen it.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

on one occasion

From this reading Mlle. de Launay appeared to be everywhere at once, and left smiles behind her wherever she went.

and nothing more

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing

From this reading The duchess, as usual, held her court at the farther end of the room, and the crowd about her was so dense that I despaired of getting to her, and paused to look about me.

(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

by chance

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading THE REGENT SHOWS HIS HAND The place was more brilliant than I had ever seen it.

members of a governing board

From this reading THE REGENT SHOWS HIS HAND The place was more brilliant than I had ever seen it.

to an ample degree or in an ample manner

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

witty remark

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Truly, a wonderful woman, but to me her activity seemed feverish.

inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight

From this reading THE REGENT SHOWS HIS HAND The place was more brilliant than I had ever seen it.

a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Mlle. de Launay appeared to be everywhere at once, and left smiles behind her wherever she went.

plural of “show” — the act of publicly exhibiting or entertaining

From this reading THE REGENT SHOWS HIS HAND The place was more brilliant than I had ever seen it.

plural of “smile” — a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement

From this reading Mlle. de Launay appeared to be everywhere at once, and left smiles behind her wherever she went.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading The duchess, as usual, held her court at the farther end of the room, and the crowd about her was so dense that I despaired of getting to her, and paused to look about me.

(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

used to introduce the second part of a comparison

From this reading THE REGENT SHOWS HIS HAND The place was more brilliant than I had ever seen it.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading The duchess, as usual, held her court at the farther end of the room, and the crowd about her was so dense that I despaired of getting to her, and paused to look about me.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading THE REGENT SHOWS HIS HAND The place was more brilliant than I had ever seen it.

a large gathering of people

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

in accordance with truth or fact or reality

From this reading Truly, a wonderful woman, but to me her activity seemed feverish.

to an undue degree

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

not in accordance with or determined by nature; contrary to nature

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure

From this reading The duchess, as usual, held her court at the farther end of the room, and the crowd about her was so dense that I despaired of getting to her, and paused to look about me.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading THE REGENT SHOWS HIS HAND The place was more brilliant than I had ever seen it.

inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Mlle. de Launay appeared to be everywhere at once, and left smiles behind her wherever she went.

the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

in or to any place at all

From this reading Mlle. de Launay appeared to be everywhere at once, and left smiles behind her wherever she went.

the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

belonging to which person

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

combining clever conception and facetious expression

From this reading The room was crowded from end to end by a throng of richly dressed people, from whom every instant came bursts of laughter, following some witty sally,--only to me, whose ears were perhaps unduly critical, the laughter sounded forced and unnatural, sometimes almost hysterical.

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading Truly, a wonderful woman, but to me her activity seemed feverish.

extraordinarily good or great; used especially as intensifiers

From this reading Truly, a wonderful woman, but to me her activity seemed feverish.