abandonedadjectiveUS /əˈbændənd/
forsaken by owner or inhabitants
From this reading He abandoned his suavity of manner and took refuge in bluster.
accentsnounUS /ˈæksents/
plural of “accent” — distinctive manner of oral expression
From this reading In those curt, crisp accents he heard the tolling of what might prove the knell of doom.
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
adroitnessnoun
skillful performance or ability without difficulty
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
to a severe or serious degree
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS That the broker’s poise was badly shaken was undeniable.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
blusternounUS /ˈblʌstər/
noisy confusion and turbulence
From this reading He abandoned his suavity of manner and took refuge in bluster.
broker'snounUS /ˈbroʊkərz/
possessive form of “broker” — a businessman who buys or sells for another in exchange for a commission
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS That the broker’s poise was badly shaken was undeniable.
crispadjectiveUS /krɪsp/
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading In those curt, crisp accents he heard the tolling of what might prove the knell of doom.
curtadjectiveUS /kɜːrt/
marked by rude or peremptory shortness
From this reading In those curt, crisp accents he heard the tolling of what might prove the knell of doom.
DEEPENSverbUS /ˈdiːpənz/
third-person singular of “deepen” — make more intense, stronger, or more marked
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS That the broker’s poise was badly shaken was undeniable.
disasternounUS /dɪˈzæstər/
a state of extreme (usually irremediable) ruin and misfortune
From this reading In the steely glitter of Joe’s eyes he thought he read disaster.
dispatchverbUS /dɪˈspætʃ/
send away towards a designated goal
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
doomverbUS /duːm/
decree or designate beforehand
From this reading In those curt, crisp accents he heard the tolling of what might prove the knell of doom.
opinion or judgment
From this reading In the steely glitter of Joe’s eyes he thought he read disaster.
glitternounUS /ˈɡlɪtər/
the quality of shining with a bright reflected light
From this reading In the steely glitter of Joe’s eyes he thought he read disaster.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading In those curt, crisp accents he heard the tolling of what might prove the knell of doom.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He abandoned his suavity of manner and took refuge in bluster.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the steely glitter of Joe’s eyes he thought he read disaster.
Joe's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the steely glitter of Joe’s eyes he thought he read disaster.
knellverbUS /nel/
ring as in announcing death
From this reading In those curt, crisp accents he heard the tolling of what might prove the knell of doom.
lambsnounUS /læmz/
plural of “lamb” — young sheep
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He abandoned his suavity of manner and took refuge in bluster.
meekadjectiveUS /miːk/
humble in spirit or manner; suggesting retiring mildness or even cowed submissiveness
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading In those curt, crisp accents he heard the tolling of what might prove the knell of doom.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS That the broker’s poise was badly shaken was undeniable.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
poiseverbUS /pɔɪz/
be motionless, in suspension
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS That the broker’s poise was badly shaken was undeniable.
be shown or be found to be
From this reading In those curt, crisp accents he heard the tolling of what might prove the knell of doom.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading In the steely glitter of Joe’s eyes he thought he read disaster.
refugenounUS /ˈrefjuːdʒ/
a safe place
From this reading He abandoned his suavity of manner and took refuge in bluster.
shakenadjectiveUS /ˈʃeɪkən/
disturbed psychologically as if by a physical jolt or shock
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS That the broker’s poise was badly shaken was undeniable.
shearverbUS /ʃɪr/
cut with shears
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
steelyadjectiveUS /ˈstiːli/
resembling steel as in hardness
From this reading In the steely glitter of Joe’s eyes he thought he read disaster.
suavitynoun
the quality of being bland and gracious or ingratiating in manner
From this reading He abandoned his suavity of manner and took refuge in bluster.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS That the broker’s poise was badly shaken was undeniable.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS That the broker’s poise was badly shaken was undeniable.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading In those curt, crisp accents he heard the tolling of what might prove the knell of doom.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading In the steely glitter of Joe’s eyes he thought he read disaster.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
tollingverbUS /ˈtoʊlɪŋ/
-ing form of “toll” — ring slowly
From this reading In those curt, crisp accents he heard the tolling of what might prove the knell of doom.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading He abandoned his suavity of manner and took refuge in bluster.
undeniableadjectiveUS /ˌʌndɪˈnaɪəbəl/
not possible to deny
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS That the broker’s poise was badly shaken was undeniable.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading THE MYSTERY DEEPENS That the broker’s poise was badly shaken was undeniable.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading In those curt, crisp accents he heard the tolling of what might prove the knell of doom.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was not talking now to one of the meek lambs that he had been accustomed to shear with such adroitness and dispatch.
