used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
attentiveadjectiveUS /əˈtentɪv/
(often followed by “to”) giving care or attention
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
past form of “attract” — direct toward itself or oneself by means of some psychological power or physical attributes
From this reading She had been singularly silent during the meal, but her manner had attracted him.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading She had been singularly silent during the meal, but her manner had attracted him.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She had been singularly silent during the meal, but her manner had attracted him.
cigarettenounUS /ˌsɪɡərˈet/
finely ground tobacco wrapped in paper; for smoking
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading When the gentlemen joined the ladies, Raphael instinctively returned to his companion of the dinner-table.
dinner-table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When the gentlemen joined the ladies, Raphael instinctively returned to his companion of the dinner-table.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading She had been singularly silent during the meal, but her manner had attracted him.
plural of “duty” — the social force that binds you to the courses of action demanded by that force
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement
From this reading When the gentlemen joined the ladies, Raphael instinctively returned to his companion of the dinner-table.
feeling or showing gratitude
From this reading "No, no," she said, with a grateful smile.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had been singularly silent during the meal, but her manner had attracted him.
past form of “hasten” — act or move at high speed
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
headachenounUS /ˈhedeɪk/
something or someone that causes anxiety; a source of unhappiness
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She had been singularly silent during the meal, but her manner had attracted him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She had been singularly silent during the meal, but her manner had attracted him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading When the gentlemen joined the ladies, Raphael instinctively returned to his companion of the dinner-table.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
instinctivelyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈstɪŋktɪvliː/
as a matter of instinct
From this reading When the gentlemen joined the ladies, Raphael instinctively returned to his companion of the dinner-table.
insufficientlyadverbUS /ˌɪnsəˈfɪʃəntli/
to an insufficient degree
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
of or relating to two people who are married to each other
From this reading When the gentlemen joined the ladies, Raphael instinctively returned to his companion of the dinner-table.
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading When the gentlemen joined the ladies, Raphael instinctively returned to his companion of the dinner-table.
LEONnounUS /ˈliːɑːn/
a historical area and former kingdom in northwestern Spain
From this reading RAPHAEL LEON.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading She had been singularly silent during the meal, but her manner had attracted him.
the food served and eaten at one time
From this reading She had been singularly silent during the meal, but her manner had attracted him.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
not any; not one
From this reading "No, no," she said, with a grateful smile.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When the gentlemen joined the ladies, Raphael instinctively returned to his companion of the dinner-table.
OverprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
RAPHAELnounUS /ˌrɑːfaɪˈel/
Italian painter whose many paintings exemplify the ideals of the High Renaissance (1483-1520)
From this reading RAPHAEL LEON.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading When the gentlemen joined the ladies, Raphael instinctively returned to his companion of the dinner-table.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "No, no," she said, with a grateful smile.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had been singularly silent during the meal, but her manner had attracted him.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading She had been singularly silent during the meal, but her manner had attracted him.
singularlyadverbUS /ˈsɪŋɡjələrli/
in a singular manner or to a singular degree
From this reading She had been singularly silent during the meal, but her manner had attracted him.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading "No, no," she said, with a grateful smile.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When the gentlemen joined the ladies, Raphael instinctively returned to his companion of the dinner-table.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When the gentlemen joined the ladies, Raphael instinctively returned to his companion of the dinner-table.
unwelladjectiveUS /ənˈwel/
somewhat ill or prone to illness
From this reading Over his black coffee and cigarette it struck him that she might have been unwell, and that he had been insufficiently attentive to the little duties of the table, and he hastened to ask if she had a headache.
at the time that
From this reading When the gentlemen joined the ladies, Raphael instinctively returned to his companion of the dinner-table.
in the company of; together with
From this reading "No, no," she said, with a grateful smile.
