used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
absentlyadverb
in an absentminded or preoccupied manner
From this reading Squatting beside Steve, he absently dug up his empty pipe and puffed at it, thinking.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Despite Marion’s prediction, he had not seriously considered the possibility of an inflexible rejection of his offer, and now he was somewhat at a loss.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Despite Marion’s prediction, he had not seriously considered the possibility of an inflexible rejection of his offer, and now he was somewhat at a loss.
next to; at the side of
From this reading Squatting beside Steve, he absently dug up his empty pipe and puffed at it, thinking.
the two together, not just one
From this reading Marion, sitting on a little leaf-cushioned projection of stone, watched both of them unobserved.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Steve looked wistful, but said nothing.
carefully weighed
From this reading Despite Marion’s prediction, he had not seriously considered the possibility of an inflexible rejection of his offer, and now he was somewhat at a loss.
although something is true; in spite of
From this reading Despite Marion’s prediction, he had not seriously considered the possibility of an inflexible rejection of his offer, and now he was somewhat at a loss.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
DouglasnounUS /ˈdʌɡləs/
United States politician who proposed that individual territories be allowed to decide whether they would have slavery; he engaged in a famous series of debates with Abraham Lincoln (1813-1861)
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
dugnounUS /dʌɡ/
an udder or breast or teat
From this reading Squatting beside Steve, he absently dug up his empty pipe and puffed at it, thinking.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading Squatting beside Steve, he absently dug up his empty pipe and puffed at it, thinking.
a mental representation of some haunting experience
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Despite Marion’s prediction, he had not seriously considered the possibility of an inflexible rejection of his offer, and now he was somewhat at a loss.
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 THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Despite Marion’s prediction, he had not seriously considered the possibility of an inflexible rejection of his offer, and now he was somewhat at a loss.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
inflexibleadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈfleksəbəl/
incapable of change
From this reading Despite Marion’s prediction, he had not seriously considered the possibility of an inflexible rejection of his offer, and now he was somewhat at a loss.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Squatting beside Steve, he absently dug up his empty pipe and puffed at it, thinking.
leaf-cushioned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marion, sitting on a little leaf-cushioned projection of stone, watched both of them unobserved.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Marion, sitting on a little leaf-cushioned projection of stone, watched both of them unobserved.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Steve looked wistful, but said nothing.
something that is lost
From this reading Despite Marion’s prediction, he had not seriously considered the possibility of an inflexible rejection of his offer, and now he was somewhat at a loss.
Marion
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Marion, sitting on a little leaf-cushioned projection of stone, watched both of them unobserved.
Marion's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Despite Marion’s prediction, he had not seriously considered the possibility of an inflexible rejection of his offer, and now he was somewhat at a loss.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Despite Marion’s prediction, he had not seriously considered the possibility of an inflexible rejection of his offer, and now he was somewhat at a loss.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading Steve looked wistful, but said nothing.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
make available or accessible, provide or furnish
From this reading Despite Marion’s prediction, he had not seriously considered the possibility of an inflexible rejection of his offer, and now he was somewhat at a loss.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Marion, sitting on a little leaf-cushioned projection of stone, watched both of them unobserved.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
a tube with a small bowl at one end; used for smoking tobacco
From this reading Squatting beside Steve, he absently dug up his empty pipe and puffed at it, thinking.
a future prospect or potential
From this reading Despite Marion’s prediction, he had not seriously considered the possibility of an inflexible rejection of his offer, and now he was somewhat at a loss.
predictionnounUS /priˈdɪkʃən/
the act of predicting (as by reasoning about the future)
From this reading Despite Marion’s prediction, he had not seriously considered the possibility of an inflexible rejection of his offer, and now he was somewhat at a loss.
projectionnounUS /prəˈdʒekʃən/
a prediction made by extrapolating from past observations
From this reading Marion, sitting on a little leaf-cushioned projection of stone, watched both of them unobserved.
puffedadjectiveUS /pʌft/
gathered for protruding fullness
From this reading Squatting beside Steve, he absently dug up his empty pipe and puffed at it, thinking.
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
puzzlingadjectiveUS /ˈpʌzəlɪŋ/
not clear to the understanding
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
rejectionnounUS /rɪˈdʒekʃən/
the act of rejecting something
From this reading Despite Marion’s prediction, he had not seriously considered the possibility of an inflexible rejection of his offer, and now he was somewhat at a loss.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Steve looked wistful, but said nothing.
in a serious manner
From this reading Despite Marion’s prediction, he had not seriously considered the possibility of an inflexible rejection of his offer, and now he was somewhat at a loss.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading Marion, sitting on a little leaf-cushioned projection of stone, watched both of them unobserved.
to a small degree or extent
From this reading Despite Marion’s prediction, he had not seriously considered the possibility of an inflexible rejection of his offer, and now he was somewhat at a loss.
SquattingnounUS /ˈskwɑːtɪŋ/
exercising by repeatedly assuming a crouching position with the knees bent; strengthens the leg muscles
From this reading Squatting beside Steve, he absently dug up his empty pipe and puffed at it, thinking.
Steve
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Squatting beside Steve, he absently dug up his empty pipe and puffed at it, thinking.
a lump or mass of hard consolidated mineral matter
From this reading Marion, sitting on a little leaf-cushioned projection of stone, watched both of them unobserved.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Marion, sitting on a little leaf-cushioned projection of stone, watched both of them unobserved.
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading Squatting beside Steve, he absently dug up his empty pipe and puffed at it, thinking.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
unobservedadjective
not seen or observed
From this reading Marion, sitting on a little leaf-cushioned projection of stone, watched both of them unobserved.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Squatting beside Steve, he absently dug up his empty pipe and puffed at it, thinking.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Despite Marion’s prediction, he had not seriously considered the possibility of an inflexible rejection of his offer, and now he was somewhat at a loss.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading Marion, sitting on a little leaf-cushioned projection of stone, watched both of them unobserved.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading THE HAND OF THE GHOST Douglas pushed off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, puzzling over what to do now.
wistfuladjectiveUS /ˈwɪstfəl/
showing pensive sadness
From this reading Steve looked wistful, but said nothing.
