used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading “I’m very well, thank you, very well indeed, and so are you, I see.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
BlairnounUS /bler/
British statesman who became prime minister in 1997 (born in 1953)
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
blitheadjectiveUS /blaɪð/
lacking or showing a lack of due concern
From this reading “Come in, come in, my dear Mr. Lane,” he exclaimed, taking a few blithe steps forward and shaking his visitor warmly by the hand.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading “Come in, come in, my dear Mr. Lane,” he exclaimed, taking a few blithe steps forward and shaking his visitor warmly by the hand.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading “Come in, come in, my dear Mr. Lane,” he exclaimed, taking a few blithe steps forward and shaking his visitor warmly by the hand.
dearly loved
From this reading “Come in, come in, my dear Mr. Lane,” he exclaimed, taking a few blithe steps forward and shaking his visitor warmly by the hand.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading “Come in, come in, my dear Mr. Lane,” he exclaimed, taking a few blithe steps forward and shaking his visitor warmly by the hand.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading “Come in, come in, my dear Mr. Lane,” he exclaimed, taking a few blithe steps forward and shaking his visitor warmly by the hand.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading “Come in, come in, my dear Mr. Lane,” he exclaimed, taking a few blithe steps forward and shaking his visitor warmly by the hand.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
furtiveadjectiveUS /ˈfɜːrtɪv/
marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading That’s right, that’s good,—splendid!
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading “Come in, come in, my dear Mr. Lane,” he exclaimed, taking a few blithe steps forward and shaking his visitor warmly by the hand.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
horn-rimmedadjective
having the frame made of horn or tortoise shell or plastic that simulates either
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I’m very well, thank you, very well indeed, and so are you, I see.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I’m very well, thank you, very well indeed, and so are you, I see.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
in truth (often tends to intensify)
From this reading “I’m very well, thank you, very well indeed, and so are you, I see.
a narrow way or road
From this reading “Come in, come in, my dear Mr. Lane,” he exclaimed, taking a few blithe steps forward and shaking his visitor warmly by the hand.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Dear me, what physique!
a form of address for a man
From this reading “Come in, come in, my dear Mr. Lane,” he exclaimed, taking a few blithe steps forward and shaking his visitor warmly by the hand.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “Come in, come in, my dear Mr. Lane,” he exclaimed, taking a few blithe steps forward and shaking his visitor warmly by the hand.
the organ of smell and entrance to the respiratory tract; the prominent part of the face of man or other mammals
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
physiquenounUS /fəˈziːk/
constitution of the human body
From this reading Dear me, what physique!
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
separated in relationship by a given degree of descent
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
precisely, exactly
From this reading That’s right, that’s good,—splendid!
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading “I’m very well, thank you, very well indeed, and so are you, I see.
the act of causing something to move up and down (or back and forth) with quick movements
From this reading “Come in, come in, my dear Mr. Lane,” he exclaimed, taking a few blithe steps forward and shaking his visitor warmly by the hand.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading “I’m very well, thank you, very well indeed, and so are you, I see.
spectaclesnounUS /ˈspektəkəlz/
(plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
having great beauty and splendor
From this reading That’s right, that’s good,—splendid!
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading “Come in, come in, my dear Mr. Lane,” he exclaimed, taking a few blithe steps forward and shaking his visitor warmly by the hand.
a detailed critical inspection
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading “Come in, come in, my dear Mr. Lane,” he exclaimed, taking a few blithe steps forward and shaking his visitor warmly by the hand.
express gratitude or show appreciation to
From this reading “I’m very well, thank you, very well indeed, and so are you, I see.
That's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading That’s right, that’s good,—splendid!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
Having little thickness or extent.
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
precisely as stated
From this reading “I’m very well, thank you, very well indeed, and so are you, I see.
someone who visits
From this reading “Come in, come in, my dear Mr. Lane,” he exclaimed, taking a few blithe steps forward and shaking his visitor warmly by the hand.
warmlyadverbUS /ˈwɔːrmli/
in a hearty manner
From this reading “Come in, come in, my dear Mr. Lane,” he exclaimed, taking a few blithe steps forward and shaking his visitor warmly by the hand.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading “I’m very well, thank you, very well indeed, and so are you, I see.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Dear me, what physique!
at the time that
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading Lord Blair rose from his chair as the door opened, and removed from his thin, furtive nose a pair of large horn-rimmed spectacles which he always wore when quite alone in his study.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “I’m very well, thank you, very well indeed, and so are you, I see.
