Chapter IX

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

deserving of the highest esteem or admiration

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

(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 Dr Roe did not seem at all in keeping with that place of peaceful dignity.

at all times; all the time and on every occasion

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading The new Head had retired to his study that evening much as a dog retires to his kennel with a bone.

in or near a particular place or position

From this reading Dr Roe did not seem at all in keeping with that place of peaceful dignity.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading This had been one of the things that had troubled Toby most.

rigid connective tissue that makes up the skeleton of vertebrates

From this reading The new Head had retired to his study that evening much as a dog retires to his kennel with a bone.

a covering designed to be worn on a person's body

From this reading He was too loud of speech, too free of gesture, and he had not the upright presence which had been so memorable a part of the man whose hair and eyes and clothing had been grey.

education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

plural of “curtain” — hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Dr Roe did not seem at all in keeping with that place of peaceful dignity.

the quality of being worthy of esteem or respect

From this reading Dr Roe did not seem at all in keeping with that place of peaceful dignity.

past form of “dine” — have supper; eat dinner

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

a member of the genus Canis (probably descended from the common wolf) that has been domesticated by man since prehistoric times; occurs in many breeds

From this reading The new Head had retired to his study that evening much as a dog retires to his kennel with a bone.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Dr Roe did not seem at all in keeping with that place of peaceful dignity.

owed and payable immediately or on demand

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)

From this reading The new Head had retired to his study that evening much as a dog retires to his kennel with a bone.

opinion or judgment

From this reading He was too loud of speech, too free of gesture, and he had not the upright presence which had been so memorable a part of the man whose hair and eyes and clothing had been grey.

grant freedom to; free from confinement

From this reading He was too loud of speech, too free of gesture, and he had not the upright presence which had been so memorable a part of the man whose hair and eyes and clothing had been grey.

motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling

From this reading He was too loud of speech, too free of gesture, and he had not the upright presence which had been so memorable a part of the man whose hair and eyes and clothing had been grey.

of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss

From this reading He was too loud of speech, too free of gesture, and he had not the upright presence which had been so memorable a part of the man whose hair and eyes and clothing had been grey.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading He was too loud of speech, too free of gesture, and he had not the upright presence which had been so memorable a part of the man whose hair and eyes and clothing had been grey.

the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

of comparatively great physical weight or density

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading The new Head had retired to his study that evening much as a dog retires to his kennel with a bone.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

conformity or harmony

From this reading Dr Roe did not seem at all in keeping with that place of peaceful dignity.

outbuilding that serves as a shelter for a dog

From this reading The new Head had retired to his study that evening much as a dog retires to his kennel with a bone.

characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity

From this reading He was too loud of speech, too free of gesture, and he had not the upright presence which had been so memorable a part of the man whose hair and eyes and clothing had been grey.

an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

worth remembering

From this reading He was too loud of speech, too free of gesture, and he had not the upright presence which had been so memorable a part of the man whose hair and eyes and clothing had been grey.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

used to form the superlative

From this reading This had been one of the things that had troubled Toby most.

a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

to a great degree or extent

From this reading The new Head had retired to his study that evening much as a dog retires to his kennel with a bone.

not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative

From this reading Dr Roe did not seem at all in keeping with that place of peaceful dignity.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

used to mean any person in general, including the speaker

From this reading This had been one of the things that had troubled Toby most.

something determined in relation to something that includes it

From this reading He was too loud of speech, too free of gesture, and he had not the upright presence which had been so memorable a part of the man whose hair and eyes and clothing had been grey.

not disturbed by strife or turmoil or war

From this reading Dr Roe did not seem at all in keeping with that place of peaceful dignity.

a point located with respect to surface features of some region

From this reading Dr Roe did not seem at all in keeping with that place of peaceful dignity.

the state of being present; current existence

From this reading He was too loud of speech, too free of gesture, and he had not the upright presence which had been so memorable a part of the man whose hair and eyes and clothing had been grey.

no longer active in your work or profession

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

third-person singular of “retire” — go into retirement; stop performing one's work or withdraw from one's position

From this reading The new Head had retired to his study that evening much as a dog retires to his kennel with a bone.

fish eggs or egg-filled ovary; having a grainy texture

From this reading Dr Roe did not seem at all in keeping with that place of peaceful dignity.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading Dr Roe did not seem at all in keeping with that place of peaceful dignity.

past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

the act of delivering a formal spoken communication to an audience

From this reading He was too loud of speech, too free of gesture, and he had not the upright presence which had been so memorable a part of the man whose hair and eyes and clothing had been grey.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

a detailed critical inspection

From this reading The new Head had retired to his study that evening much as a dog retires to his kennel with a bone.

used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)

From this reading This had been one of the things that had troubled Toby most.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading This had been one of the things that had troubled Toby most.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

a drinking mug in the shape of a stout man wearing a three-cornered hat

From this reading This had been one of the things that had troubled Toby most.

to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits

From this reading He was too loud of speech, too free of gesture, and he had not the upright presence which had been so memorable a part of the man whose hair and eyes and clothing had been grey.

characterized by or indicative of distress or affliction or danger or need

From this reading This had been one of the things that had troubled Toby most.

in a vertical position; not sloping

From this reading He was too loud of speech, too free of gesture, and he had not the upright presence which had been so memorable a part of the man whose hair and eyes and clothing had been grey.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading He was too loud of speech, too free of gesture, and he had not the upright presence which had been so memorable a part of the man whose hair and eyes and clothing had been grey.

(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 A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading He was too loud of speech, too free of gesture, and he had not the upright presence which had been so memorable a part of the man whose hair and eyes and clothing had been grey.

belonging to which person

From this reading He was too loud of speech, too free of gesture, and he had not the upright presence which had been so memorable a part of the man whose hair and eyes and clothing had been grey.

having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface

From this reading A MOLE-HILL AND A MOUNTAIN The new Head had dined well and in due course had retired to that wide room of heavy curtains and stained-glass windows wherein the Grey Man had always seemed so admirable a Head.

in the company of; together with

From this reading Dr Roe did not seem at all in keeping with that place of peaceful dignity.