used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "I should think Beaumont and I stood there, at the end of the passage for about five minutes, listening for any noise in the billiard room.
perfect or complete or pure
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading "I should think Beaumont and I stood there, at the end of the passage for about five minutes, listening for any noise in the billiard room.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "I should think Beaumont and I stood there, at the end of the passage for about five minutes, listening for any noise in the billiard room.
BeaumontnounUS /ˈboʊmɔːnt/
United States surgeon remembered for his studies of digestion (1785-1853)
From this reading "I should think Beaumont and I stood there, at the end of the passage for about five minutes, listening for any noise in the billiard room.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
billiardadjectiveUS /ˈbɪljərd/
of or relating to billiards
From this reading "I should think Beaumont and I stood there, at the end of the passage for about five minutes, listening for any noise in the billiard room.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading The sound came plainly up the wide stairway.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading "I should think Beaumont and I stood there, at the end of the passage for about five minutes, listening for any noise in the billiard room.
apart from; not including
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
(of persons) excessively affected by emotion
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
something many people believe that is false
From this reading I fancy they were gathered 'round Miss Hisgins, with some notion of protecting her.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading "I should think Beaumont and I stood there, at the end of the passage for about five minutes, listening for any noise in the billiard room.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
funknounUS /fʌŋk/
a state of nervous depression
From this reading Then I realized what a horrible funk I was in and I said to him: 'I'm going to see what's there.'
brought together in one place
From this reading I fancy they were gathered 'round Miss Hisgins, with some notion of protecting her.
the act of departing
From this reading Then I realized what a horrible funk I was in and I said to him: 'I'm going to see what's there.'
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I fancy they were gathered 'round Miss Hisgins, with some notion of protecting her.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Then I realized what a horrible funk I was in and I said to him: 'I'm going to see what's there.'
Hisgins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I fancy they were gathered 'round Miss Hisgins, with some notion of protecting her.
provoking horror
From this reading Then I realized what a horrible funk I was in and I said to him: 'I'm going to see what's there.'
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I fancy they were gathered 'round Miss Hisgins, with some notion of protecting her.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then I realized what a horrible funk I was in and I said to him: 'I'm going to see what's there.'
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading "I should think Beaumont and I stood there, at the end of the passage for about five minutes, listening for any noise in the billiard room.
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 "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading "I should think Beaumont and I stood there, at the end of the passage for about five minutes, listening for any noise in the billiard room.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading I fancy they were gathered 'round Miss Hisgins, with some notion of protecting her.
sound of any kind (especially unintelligible or dissonant sound)
From this reading "I should think Beaumont and I stood there, at the end of the passage for about five minutes, listening for any noise in the billiard room.
a vague idea in which some confidence is placed
From this reading I fancy they were gathered 'round Miss Hisgins, with some notion of protecting her.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading "I should think Beaumont and I stood there, at the end of the passage for about five minutes, listening for any noise in the billiard room.
a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading The sound came plainly up the wide stairway.
protectingadjectiveUS /prəˈtektɪŋ/
shielding (or designed to shield) against harm or discomfort
From this reading I fancy they were gathered 'round Miss Hisgins, with some notion of protecting her.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading Then I realized what a horrible funk I was in and I said to him: 'I'm going to see what's there.'
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading "I should think Beaumont and I stood there, at the end of the passage for about five minutes, listening for any noise in the billiard room.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading I fancy they were gathered 'round Miss Hisgins, with some notion of protecting her.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Then I realized what a horrible funk I was in and I said to him: 'I'm going to see what's there.'
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Then I realized what a horrible funk I was in and I said to him: 'I'm going to see what's there.'
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading "I should think Beaumont and I stood there, at the end of the passage for about five minutes, listening for any noise in the billiard room.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading The sound came plainly up the wide stairway.
stairwaynounUS /ˈsterweɪ/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading The sound came plainly up the wide stairway.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading "I should think Beaumont and I stood there, at the end of the passage for about five minutes, listening for any noise in the billiard room.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading I fancy they were gathered 'round Miss Hisgins, with some notion of protecting her.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "I should think Beaumont and I stood there, at the end of the passage for about five minutes, listening for any noise in the billiard room.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then I realized what a horrible funk I was in and I said to him: 'I'm going to see what's there.'
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The sound came plainly up the wide stairway.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading I fancy they were gathered 'round Miss Hisgins, with some notion of protecting her.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading Then I realized what a horrible funk I was in and I said to him: 'I'm going to see what's there.'
what's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then I realized what a horrible funk I was in and I said to him: 'I'm going to see what's there.'
whisperingnounUS /ˈwɪspərɪŋ/
a light noise, like the noise of silk clothing or leaves blowing in the wind
From this reading "Then there was a pause and a long time of absolute quiet except for an excited whispering from some of the people down in the big hall.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading The sound came plainly up the wide stairway.
in the company of; together with
From this reading I fancy they were gathered 'round Miss Hisgins, with some notion of protecting her.
