used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
alertadjectiveUS /əˈlɜːrt/
engaged in or accustomed to close observation
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The arrival of the morning boat with letters and newspapers from the East was the great event of the day in Burnet.
declared publicly; made widely known
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
accomplishment of an objective
From this reading The arrival of the morning boat with letters and newspapers from the East was the great event of the day in Burnet.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was due at eleven o'clock; and everybody, consciously or unconsciously, was on the lookout for it.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
betokened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
a small vessel for travel on water
From this reading The arrival of the morning boat with letters and newspapers from the East was the great event of the day in Burnet.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
Burnet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The arrival of the morning boat with letters and newspapers from the East was the great event of the day in Burnet.
chattingverbUS /ˈtʃætɪŋ/
inflected form of “chat” — talk socially without exchanging too much information
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
clickverbUS /klɪk/
move or strike with a noise
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
consciouslyadverbUS /ˈkɑːnʃəsli/
with awareness
From this reading It was due at eleven o'clock; and everybody, consciously or unconsciously, was on the lookout for it.
plural of “daughter” — a female human offspring
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading THE DAY OF HAPPY LETTERS.
distributedadjectiveUS /dɪˈstrɪbjətəd/
spread out or scattered about or divided up
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
-ing form of “do” — engage in
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
drawersnounUS /drɔːrz/
underpants worn by men
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
owed and payable immediately or on demand
From this reading It was due at eleven o'clock; and everybody, consciously or unconsciously, was on the lookout for it.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
earlyadjectiveUS /ˈɜːrli/
at or near the beginning of a period of time or course of events or before the usual or expected time
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading The arrival of the morning boat with letters and newspapers from the East was the great event of the day in Burnet.
being one more than ten
From this reading It was due at eleven o'clock; and everybody, consciously or unconsciously, was on the lookout for it.
to the same degree (often followed by “as”)
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
something that happens at a given place and time
From this reading The arrival of the morning boat with letters and newspapers from the East was the great event of the day in Burnet.
every person
From this reading It was due at eleven o'clock; and everybody, consciously or unconsciously, was on the lookout for it.
expectationnounUS /ˌekspekˈteɪʃən/
belief about (or mental picture of) the future
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
a social unit living together
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
fingeringnounUS /ˈfɪŋɡərɪŋ/
the placement of the fingers for playing different notes (or sequences of notes) on a musical instrument
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was due at eleven o'clock; and everybody, consciously or unconsciously, was on the lookout for it.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The arrival of the morning boat with letters and newspapers from the East was the great event of the day in Burnet.
plural of “gentleman” — a man of refinement
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
gravelnounUS /ˈɡrævəl/
rock fragments and pebbles
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading The arrival of the morning boat with letters and newspapers from the East was the great event of the day in Burnet.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading THE DAY OF HAPPY LETTERS.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The arrival of the morning boat with letters and newspapers from the East was the great event of the day in Burnet.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was due at eleven o'clock; and everybody, consciously or unconsciously, was on the lookout for it.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
keysnounUS /kiːz/
plural of “key” — metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
latchverbUS /lætʃ/
fasten with a latch
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
the literary culture
From this reading THE DAY OF HAPPY LETTERS.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
lookoutnounUS /ˈlʊkaʊt/
a person employed to keep watch for some anticipated event
From this reading It was due at eleven o'clock; and everybody, consciously or unconsciously, was on the lookout for it.
mailnounUS /meɪl/
the bags of letters and packages that are transported by the postal service
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
at the same time but in another place
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading The arrival of the morning boat with letters and newspapers from the East was the great event of the day in Burnet.
news-bringer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
newspapersnounUS /ˈnuːzpeɪpərz/
plural of “newspaper” — a daily or weekly publication on folded sheets; contains news and articles and advertisements
From this reading The arrival of the morning boat with letters and newspapers from the East was the great event of the day in Burnet.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading It was due at eleven o'clock; and everybody, consciously or unconsciously, was on the lookout for it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE DAY OF HAPPY LETTERS.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was due at eleven o'clock; and everybody, consciously or unconsciously, was on the lookout for it.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It was due at eleven o'clock; and everybody, consciously or unconsciously, was on the lookout for it.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
rattleverbUS /ˈrætəl/
make short successive sounds
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
shutternounUS /ˈʃʌtər/
a mechanical device on a camera that opens and closes to control the time of a photographic exposure
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
the territory occupied by one of the constituent administrative districts of a nation
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DAY OF HAPPY LETTERS.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
up to a particular time
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
unconsciouslyadverbUS /ˌʌnˈkɑːnʃəsli/
without awareness
From this reading It was due at eleven o'clock; and everybody, consciously or unconsciously, was on the lookout for it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The arrival of the morning boat with letters and newspapers from the East was the great event of the day in Burnet.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The gentlemen were at the office bright and early, and stood chatting with each other, and fingering the keys of their little drawers till the rattle of the shutter announced that the mail was distributed.
any or all of a kind, it does not matter which
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The arrival of the morning boat with letters and newspapers from the East was the great event of the day in Burnet.
plural of “wife” — a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading Their wives and daughters at home, meanwhile, were equally in a state of expectation, and whatever they might be doing kept ears and eyes on the alert for the step on the gravel and the click of the latch which betokened the arrival of the family news-bringer.
