Abbé
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When was the Abbé to be caught without his self-possessed smile, his easy manner, and his carefully-arranged dress?
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The Marquise sprang at them almost before he had time to offer his elaborate homage, while he bent over her extended hand.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading When was the Abbé to be caught without his self-possessed smile, his easy manner, and his carefully-arranged dress?
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading On the present occasion he carried with him some rare flowers as well.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The Marquise sprang at them almost before he had time to offer his elaborate homage, while he bent over her extended hand.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He snatched the nosegay away, however, with great quickness, and held it behind his back.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He snatched the nosegay away, however, with great quickness, and held it behind his back.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading When was the Abbé to be caught without his self-possessed smile, his easy manner, and his carefully-arranged dress?
earlier than; in front of
From this reading The Marquise sprang at them almost before he had time to offer his elaborate homage, while he bent over her extended hand.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading He snatched the nosegay away, however, with great quickness, and held it behind his back.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading The Marquise sprang at them almost before he had time to offer his elaborate homage, while he bent over her extended hand.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading WHAT THE SERPENT SAID HE came in smiling, of course.
carefully-arranged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When was the Abbé to be caught without his self-possessed smile, his easy manner, and his carefully-arranged dress?
inflected form of “carry” — move while supporting, either in a vehicle or in one's hands or on one's body
From this reading On the present occasion he carried with him some rare flowers as well.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading When was the Abbé to be caught without his self-possessed smile, his easy manner, and his carefully-arranged dress?
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading WHAT THE SERPENT SAID HE came in smiling, of course.
put on clothes
From this reading When was the Abbé to be caught without his self-possessed smile, his easy manner, and his carefully-arranged dress?
posing no difficulty; requiring little effort
From this reading When was the Abbé to be caught without his self-possessed smile, his easy manner, and his carefully-arranged dress?
elaborateadjectiveUS /ɪˈlæbrət/
marked by complexity and richness of detail
From this reading The Marquise sprang at them almost before he had time to offer his elaborate homage, while he bent over her extended hand.
relatively long in duration; tediously protracted
From this reading The Marquise sprang at them almost before he had time to offer his elaborate homage, while he bent over her extended hand.
plural of “flower” — a plant cultivated for its blooms or blossoms
From this reading On the present occasion he carried with him some rare flowers as well.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading He snatched the nosegay away, however, with great quickness, and held it behind his back.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Marquise sprang at them almost before he had time to offer his elaborate homage, while he bent over her extended hand.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The Marquise sprang at them almost before he had time to offer his elaborate homage, while he bent over her extended hand.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading WHAT THE SERPENT SAID HE came in smiling, of course.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading He snatched the nosegay away, however, with great quickness, and held it behind his back.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The Marquise sprang at them almost before he had time to offer his elaborate homage, while he bent over her extended hand.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading On the present occasion he carried with him some rare flowers as well.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When was the Abbé to be caught without his self-possessed smile, his easy manner, and his carefully-arranged dress?
homagenounUS /ˈɑːmədʒ/
respectful deference
From this reading The Marquise sprang at them almost before he had time to offer his elaborate homage, while he bent over her extended hand.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading He snatched the nosegay away, however, with great quickness, and held it behind his back.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading WHAT THE SERPENT SAID HE came in smiling, of course.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He snatched the nosegay away, however, with great quickness, and held it behind his back.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading When was the Abbé to be caught without his self-possessed smile, his easy manner, and his carefully-arranged dress?
Marquisenoun
a noblewoman ranking below a duchess and above a countess
From this reading The Marquise sprang at them almost before he had time to offer his elaborate homage, while he bent over her extended hand.
nosegaynoun
an arrangement of flowers that is usually given as a present
From this reading He snatched the nosegay away, however, with great quickness, and held it behind his back.
an event that occurs at a critical time
From this reading On the present occasion he carried with him some rare flowers as well.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading WHAT THE SERPENT SAID HE came in smiling, of course.
make available or accessible, provide or furnish
From this reading The Marquise sprang at them almost before he had time to offer his elaborate homage, while he bent over her extended hand.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the present occasion he carried with him some rare flowers as well.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The Marquise sprang at them almost before he had time to offer his elaborate homage, while he bent over her extended hand.
give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading On the present occasion he carried with him some rare flowers as well.
quicknessnounUS /ˈkwɪknəs/
skillful performance or ability without difficulty
From this reading He snatched the nosegay away, however, with great quickness, and held it behind his back.
not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness
From this reading On the present occasion he carried with him some rare flowers as well.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading WHAT THE SERPENT SAID HE came in smiling, of course.
self-possessedadjective
in full control of your faculties
From this reading When was the Abbé to be caught without his self-possessed smile, his easy manner, and his carefully-arranged dress?
SERPENTnounUS /ˈsɜːrpənt/
limbless scaly elongate reptile; some are venomous
From this reading WHAT THE SERPENT SAID HE came in smiling, of course.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading When was the Abbé to be caught without his self-possessed smile, his easy manner, and his carefully-arranged dress?
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading WHAT THE SERPENT SAID HE came in smiling, of course.
snatchedverbUS /snætʃt/
past form of “snatch” — to grasp hastily or eagerly
From this reading He snatched the nosegay away, however, with great quickness, and held it behind his back.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading On the present occasion he carried with him some rare flowers as well.
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading The Marquise sprang at them almost before he had time to offer his elaborate homage, while he bent over her extended hand.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WHAT THE SERPENT SAID HE came in smiling, of course.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The Marquise sprang at them almost before he had time to offer his elaborate homage, while he bent over her extended hand.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The Marquise sprang at them almost before he had time to offer his elaborate homage, while he bent over her extended hand.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When was the Abbé to be caught without his self-possessed smile, his easy manner, and his carefully-arranged dress?
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When was the Abbé to be caught without his self-possessed smile, his easy manner, and his carefully-arranged dress?
(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 On the present occasion he carried with him some rare flowers as well.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading WHAT THE SERPENT SAID HE came in smiling, of course.
at the time that
From this reading When was the Abbé to be caught without his self-possessed smile, his easy manner, and his carefully-arranged dress?
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The Marquise sprang at them almost before he had time to offer his elaborate homage, while he bent over her extended hand.
in the company of; together with
From this reading On the present occasion he carried with him some rare flowers as well.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading When was the Abbé to be caught without his self-possessed smile, his easy manner, and his carefully-arranged dress?
