used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
anew
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
at or in the front
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
alertnessnounUS /əˈlɜːrtnəs/
the process of paying close and continuous attention
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
amiabilitynounUS /ˌeɪmiəˈbɪləti/
a cheerful and agreeable mood
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
anguishedadjectiveUS /ˈæŋɡwɪʃt/
experiencing intense pain especially mental pain
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
inflected form of “become” — enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading The muscles of his mouth and cheeks, otherwise obedient to his will, relaxed and became flabby.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
past form of “betray” — reveal unintentionally
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
made or become different in nature or form
From this reading His face, when he was alone, changed so that it was hardly recognizable.
changingadjectiveUS /ˈtʃeɪndʒɪŋ/
marked by continuous change or effective action
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
plural of “cheek” — either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading The muscles of his mouth and cheeks, otherwise obedient to his will, relaxed and became flabby.
unvarying in nature
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
earnest and conscientious activity intended to do or accomplish something
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
opinion or judgment
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading His face, when he was alone, changed so that it was hardly recognizable.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
flabbyadjectiveUS /ˈflæbi/
out of condition; not strong or robust; incapable of exertion or endurance
From this reading The muscles of his mouth and cheeks, otherwise obedient to his will, relaxed and became flabby.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
(plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
only a very short time before
From this reading His face, when he was alone, changed so that it was hardly recognizable.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
in place of, or as an alternative to
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading His face, when he was alone, changed so that it was hardly recognizable.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
maskverbUS /mæsk/
hide under a false appearance
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading The muscles of his mouth and cheeks, otherwise obedient to his will, relaxed and became flabby.
musclesnounUS /ˈmʌsəlz/
plural of “muscle” — one of the contractile organs of the body
From this reading The muscles of his mouth and cheeks, otherwise obedient to his will, relaxed and became flabby.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
obedientadjectiveUS /oʊˈbiːdiənt/
dutifully complying with the commands or instructions of those in authority
From this reading The muscles of his mouth and cheeks, otherwise obedient to his will, relaxed and became flabby.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
and nothing more
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
in other respects or ways
From this reading The muscles of his mouth and cheeks, otherwise obedient to his will, relaxed and became flabby.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
one side of one leaf (of a book or magazine or newspaper or letter etc.) or the written or pictorial matter it contains
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
portières
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
preservedadjectiveUS /prəˈzɜːrvd/
prevented from decaying or spoiling and prepared for future use
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
past form of “print” — put into print
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
recognizableadjectiveUS /ˌrekəɡˈnaɪzəbəl/
easily perceived; easy to become aware of
From this reading His face, when he was alone, changed so that it was hardly recognizable.
relaxedadjectiveUS /rɪˈlækst/
without strain or anxiety
From this reading The muscles of his mouth and cheeks, otherwise obedient to his will, relaxed and became flabby.
resumeverbUS /rɪˈzuːm/
take up or begin anew
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
roved
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
salonnounUS /səˈlɑːn/
gallery where works of art can be displayed
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
SenatornounUS /ˈsenətər/
a member of a senate
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading His face, when he was alone, changed so that it was hardly recognizable.
successive (without a break)
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading His face, when he was alone, changed so that it was hardly recognizable.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
vigournoun
forceful exertion
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
wearinessnounUS /ˈwɪrinəs/
temporary loss of strength and energy resulting from hard physical or mental work
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
at the time that
From this reading The Senator, when he was alone again, sat down at the table, took out his glasses, and tried to resume his reading.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Like a mask the look of vigour, alertness, and amiability, which now for a long time had been preserved only by constant effort, fell from his face, and betrayed an anguished weariness instead.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading The muscles of his mouth and cheeks, otherwise obedient to his will, relaxed and became flabby.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading But in a few minutes his eyes had roved from the printed page, and he sat for a long time without changing his position, gazing straight ahead of him between the portières into the darkness of the salon.
