used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading This was a blow I had not foreseen and which I was totally unprepared to meet.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading “I suspected that Orleans would try a game of this kind,” continued the duke, after a moment.
(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 In fact, he appeared to hold all the winning cards.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE SECRET STAIRCASE I fell back into my chair and gazed at Richelieu in speechless horror.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading In fact, he appeared to hold all the winning cards.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE SECRET STAIRCASE I fell back into my chair and gazed at Richelieu in speechless horror.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading THE SECRET STAIRCASE I fell back into my chair and gazed at Richelieu in speechless horror.
exhale hard
From this reading This was a blow I had not foreseen and which I was totally unprepared to meet.
a game played with playing cards
From this reading In fact, he appeared to hold all the winning cards.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading THE SECRET STAIRCASE I fell back into my chair and gazed at Richelieu in speechless horror.
without stop or interruption
From this reading “I suspected that Orleans would try a game of this kind,” continued the duke, after a moment.
a British peer of the highest rank
From this reading “I suspected that Orleans would try a game of this kind,” continued the duke, after a moment.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading In fact, he appeared to hold all the winning cards.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading THE SECRET STAIRCASE I fell back into my chair and gazed at Richelieu in speechless horror.
foreseenverbUS /ˌfɔːrˈsiːn/
inflected form of “foresee” — realize beforehand
From this reading This was a blow I had not foreseen and which I was totally unprepared to meet.
a contest with rules to determine a winner
From this reading “I suspected that Orleans would try a game of this kind,” continued the duke, after a moment.
past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading THE SECRET STAIRCASE I fell back into my chair and gazed at Richelieu in speechless horror.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading This was a blow I had not foreseen and which I was totally unprepared to meet.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In fact, he appeared to hold all the winning cards.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading In fact, he appeared to hold all the winning cards.
intense and profound fear
From this reading THE SECRET STAIRCASE I fell back into my chair and gazed at Richelieu in speechless horror.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading THE SECRET STAIRCASE I fell back into my chair and gazed at Richelieu in speechless horror.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE SECRET STAIRCASE I fell back into my chair and gazed at Richelieu in speechless horror.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading THE SECRET STAIRCASE I fell back into my chair and gazed at Richelieu in speechless horror.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The regent, it seemed, had scored a second time.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading “I suspected that Orleans would try a game of this kind,” continued the duke, after a moment.
come together
From this reading This was a blow I had not foreseen and which I was totally unprepared to meet.
a particular point in time
From this reading “I suspected that Orleans would try a game of this kind,” continued the duke, after a moment.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading THE SECRET STAIRCASE I fell back into my chair and gazed at Richelieu in speechless horror.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading This was a blow I had not foreseen and which I was totally unprepared to meet.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “I suspected that Orleans would try a game of this kind,” continued the duke, after a moment.
OrleansnounUS /ˈɔːrliənz/
a city on the Loire river in north central France; site of the siege of Orleans by the English (1428-1429)
From this reading “I suspected that Orleans would try a game of this kind,” continued the duke, after a moment.
regentnounUS /ˈriːdʒənt/
members of a governing board
From this reading The regent, it seemed, had scored a second time.
RichelieunounUS /ˈrɪʃəluː/
French prelate and statesman; principal minister to Louis XIII (1585-1642)
From this reading THE SECRET STAIRCASE I fell back into my chair and gazed at Richelieu in speechless horror.
scoredverbUS /skɔːrd/
past form of “score” — gain points in a game
From this reading The regent, it seemed, had scored a second time.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading The regent, it seemed, had scored a second time.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading THE SECRET STAIRCASE I fell back into my chair and gazed at Richelieu in speechless horror.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The regent, it seemed, had scored a second time.
speechlessadjectiveUS /ˈspiːtʃləs/
temporarily incapable of speaking
From this reading THE SECRET STAIRCASE I fell back into my chair and gazed at Richelieu in speechless horror.
STAIRCASEnounUS /ˈsterkeɪs/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading THE SECRET STAIRCASE I fell back into my chair and gazed at Richelieu in speechless horror.
believed likely
From this reading “I suspected that Orleans would try a game of this kind,” continued the duke, after a moment.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “I suspected that Orleans would try a game of this kind,” continued the duke, after a moment.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE SECRET STAIRCASE I fell back into my chair and gazed at Richelieu in speechless horror.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was a blow I had not foreseen and which I was totally unprepared to meet.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The regent, it seemed, had scored a second time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading This was a blow I had not foreseen and which I was totally unprepared to meet.
totallyadverbUS /ˈtoʊtəli/
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading This was a blow I had not foreseen and which I was totally unprepared to meet.
make an effort or attempt
From this reading “I suspected that Orleans would try a game of this kind,” continued the duke, after a moment.
unpreparedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnpriˈperd/
without preparation; not prepared for
From this reading This was a blow I had not foreseen and which I was totally unprepared to meet.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This was a blow I had not foreseen and which I was totally unprepared to meet.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading This was a blow I had not foreseen and which I was totally unprepared to meet.
winningadjectiveUS /ˈwɪnɪŋ/
having won
From this reading In fact, he appeared to hold all the winning cards.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “I suspected that Orleans would try a game of this kind,” continued the duke, after a moment.
