used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
the state of being absent
From this reading It arrived before the gate with such absence of sound that Alice, though she was dusting in the front-room, did not hear it.
Alice
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It arrived before the gate with such absence of sound that Alice, though she was dusting in the front-room, did not hear it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
apronnounUS /ˈeɪprən/
a garment of cloth or leather or plastic that is tied about the waist and worn to protect your clothing
From this reading Justifiably assuming that the tinkler was the butcher's boy, she went to the door with her apron on, and even with the duster in her hand.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading It arrived before the gate with such absence of sound that Alice, though she was dusting in the front-room, did not hear it.
assumingadjectiveUS /əˈsuːmɪŋ/
excessively forward
From this reading Justifiably assuming that the tinkler was the butcher's boy, she went to the door with her apron on, and even with the duster in her hand.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It arrived before the gate with such absence of sound that Alice, though she was dusting in the front-room, did not hear it.
a hollow device made of metal that makes a ringing sound when struck
From this reading She heard nothing till the bell discreetly tinkled.
a youthful male person
From this reading Justifiably assuming that the tinkler was the butcher's boy, she went to the door with her apron on, and even with the duster in her hand.
butcher'snounUS /ˈbʊtʃərz/
possessive form of “butcher” — a retailer of meat
From this reading Justifiably assuming that the tinkler was the butcher's boy, she went to the door with her apron on, and even with the duster in her hand.
contrivancesnounUS /kənˈtraɪvənsɪz/
plural of “contrivance” — a device or control that is very useful for a particular job
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading It arrived before the gate with such absence of sound that Alice, though she was dusting in the front-room, did not hear it.
discreetlyadverbUS /dɪˈskriːtli/
with discretion; prudently and with wise self-restraint
From this reading She heard nothing till the bell discreetly tinkled.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Justifiably assuming that the tinkler was the butcher's boy, she went to the door with her apron on, and even with the duster in her hand.
dusternounUS /ˈdʌstər/
a windstorm that lifts up clouds of dust or sand
From this reading Justifiably assuming that the tinkler was the butcher's boy, she went to the door with her apron on, and even with the duster in her hand.
dustingverbUS /ˈdʌstɪŋ/
-ing form of “dust” — remove the dust from
From this reading It arrived before the gate with such absence of sound that Alice, though she was dusting in the front-room, did not hear it.
efficientlyadverbUS /ɪˈfɪʃəntli/
with efficiency; in an efficient manner
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
electricadjectiveUS /ɪˈlektrɪk/
using or providing or producing or transmitting or operated by electricity
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
divisible by two
From this reading Justifiably assuming that the tinkler was the butcher's boy, she went to the door with her apron on, and even with the duster in her hand.
front-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It arrived before the gate with such absence of sound that Alice, though she was dusting in the front-room, did not hear it.
garrotternoun
someone who kills by strangling
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
a movable barrier in a fence or wall
From this reading It arrived before the gate with such absence of sound that Alice, though she was dusting in the front-room, did not hear it.
GlossyadjectiveUS /ˈɡlɔːsi/
based on pretense; deceptively pleasing
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
grindverbUS /ɡraɪnd/
press or grind with a crushing noise
From this reading No odour, no teeth-disturbing grind of rack-and-pinion, no trumpeting, with that machine!
guillotinenounUS /ˈɡɪlətiːn/
closure imposed on the debate of specific sections of a bill
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Justifiably assuming that the tinkler was the butcher's boy, she went to the door with her apron on, and even with the duster in her hand.
perceive (sound) via the auditory sense
From this reading It arrived before the gate with such absence of sound that Alice, though she was dusting in the front-room, did not hear it.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading She heard nothing till the bell discreetly tinkled.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Justifiably assuming that the tinkler was the butcher's boy, she went to the door with her apron on, and even with the duster in her hand.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It arrived before the gate with such absence of sound that Alice, though she was dusting in the front-room, did not hear it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It arrived before the gate with such absence of sound that Alice, though she was dusting in the front-room, did not hear it.
JustifiablyadverbUS /ˈdʒʌstəfaɪəbli/
with good reason
From this reading Justifiably assuming that the tinkler was the butcher's boy, she went to the door with her apron on, and even with the duster in her hand.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
any mechanical or electrical device that transmits or modifies energy to perform or assist in the performance of human tasks
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
MalenounUS /meɪl/
an animal that produces gametes (spermatozoa) that can fertilize female gametes
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
not any; not one
From this reading No odour, no teeth-disturbing grind of rack-and-pinion, no trumpeting, with that machine!
noiselesslyadverb
without a sound
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It arrived before the gate with such absence of sound that Alice, though she was dusting in the front-room, did not hear it.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading She heard nothing till the bell discreetly tinkled.
odournounUS /ˈoʊdər/
the sensation that results when olfactory receptors in the nose are stimulated by particular chemicals in gaseous form
From this reading No odour, no teeth-disturbing grind of rack-and-pinion, no trumpeting, with that machine!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Justifiably assuming that the tinkler was the butcher's boy, she went to the door with her apron on, and even with the duster in her hand.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
rack-and-pinion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No odour, no teeth-disturbing grind of rack-and-pinion, no trumpeting, with that machine!
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It arrived before the gate with such absence of sound that Alice, though she was dusting in the front-room, did not hear it.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading It arrived before the gate with such absence of sound that Alice, though she was dusting in the front-room, did not hear it.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading It arrived before the gate with such absence of sound that Alice, though she was dusting in the front-room, did not hear it.
teeth-disturbing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No odour, no teeth-disturbing grind of rack-and-pinion, no trumpeting, with that machine!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading It arrived before the gate with such absence of sound that Alice, though she was dusting in the front-room, did not hear it.
up to a particular time
From this reading She heard nothing till the bell discreetly tinkled.
tinkledverbUS /ˈtɪŋkəld/
past form of “tinkle” — make or emit a high sound
From this reading She heard nothing till the bell discreetly tinkled.
tinkler
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Justifiably assuming that the tinkler was the butcher's boy, she went to the door with her apron on, and even with the duster in her hand.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Justifiably assuming that the tinkler was the butcher's boy, she went to the door with her apron on, and even with the duster in her hand.
trumpetingverbUS /ˈtrʌmpətɪŋ/
-ing form of “trumpet” — proclaim on, or as if on, a trumpet
From this reading No odour, no teeth-disturbing grind of rack-and-pinion, no trumpeting, with that machine!
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Justifiably assuming that the tinkler was the butcher's boy, she went to the door with her apron on, and even with the duster in her hand.
in the company of; together with
From this reading No odour, no teeth-disturbing grind of rack-and-pinion, no trumpeting, with that machine!
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading _A Glossy Male_ The machine was one of those electric contrivances that do their work noiselessly and efficiently, like a garrotter or the guillotine.
