used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She must have dropped the telephone receiver, for a clatter sounded dully in her ears.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
anew
From this reading But she knew her visitor again immediately.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The strange and baleful glare of the man at the table held her gaze.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The blood seemed to drain away from her heart as she met the cruel menace of those blackly bitter eyes.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The strange and baleful glare of the man at the table held her gaze.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The blood seemed to drain away from her heart as she met the cruel menace of those blackly bitter eyes.
balefuladjectiveUS /ˈbeɪlfəl/
deadly or sinister
From this reading The strange and baleful glare of the man at the table held her gaze.
the hair growing on the lower part of a man's face
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
marked by strong resentment or cynicism
From this reading The blood seemed to drain away from her heart as she met the cruel menace of those blackly bitter eyes.
blackly
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The blood seemed to drain away from her heart as she met the cruel menace of those blackly bitter eyes.
The red fluid that circulates in the heart and blood vessels.
From this reading The blood seemed to drain away from her heart as she met the cruel menace of those blackly bitter eyes.
bushyadjectiveUS /ˈbʊʃi/
used of hair; thick and poorly groomed
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But she knew her visitor again immediately.
the protruding part of the lower jaw
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
clatternounUS /ˈklætər/
a rattling noise (often produced by rapid movement)
From this reading She must have dropped the telephone receiver, for a clatter sounded dully in her ears.
without doubt or question
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
crueladjectiveUS /ˈkruːəl/
(of persons or their actions) able or disposed to inflict pain or suffering
From this reading The blood seemed to drain away from her heart as she met the cruel menace of those blackly bitter eyes.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
drainverbUS /dreɪn/
flow off gradually
From this reading The blood seemed to drain away from her heart as she met the cruel menace of those blackly bitter eyes.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading She must have dropped the telephone receiver, for a clatter sounded dully in her ears.
dullyadverb
without liveliness
From this reading She must have dropped the telephone receiver, for a clatter sounded dully in her ears.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading She must have dropped the telephone receiver, for a clatter sounded dully in her ears.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The blood seemed to drain away from her heart as she met the cruel menace of those blackly bitter eyes.
fleshyadjectiveUS /ˈfleʃi/
usually describes a large person who is fat but has a large frame to carry it
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She must have dropped the telephone receiver, for a clatter sounded dully in her ears.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The blood seemed to drain away from her heart as she met the cruel menace of those blackly bitter eyes.
a long fixed look
From this reading The strange and baleful glare of the man at the table held her gaze.
glarenounUS /ɡler/
a light within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to which the eyes are adapted
From this reading The strange and baleful glare of the man at the table held her gaze.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She must have dropped the telephone receiver, for a clatter sounded dully in her ears.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading The blood seemed to drain away from her heart as she met the cruel menace of those blackly bitter eyes.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading The strange and baleful glare of the man at the table held her gaze.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She must have dropped the telephone receiver, for a clatter sounded dully in her ears.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading But she knew her visitor again immediately.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She must have dropped the telephone receiver, for a clatter sounded dully in her ears.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading But she knew her visitor again immediately.
a formation of people or things one beside another
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The strange and baleful glare of the man at the table held her gaze.
massiveadjectiveUS /ˈmæsɪv/
imposing in size or bulk or solidity
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
menaceverbUS /ˈmenəs/
pose a threat to; present a danger to
From this reading The blood seemed to drain away from her heart as she met the cruel menace of those blackly bitter eyes.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading The blood seemed to drain away from her heart as she met the cruel menace of those blackly bitter eyes.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading She must have dropped the telephone receiver, for a clatter sounded dully in her ears.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The strange and baleful glare of the man at the table held her gaze.
compacted by ironing
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
receivernounUS /rəˈsiːvər/
set that receives radio or tv signals
From this reading She must have dropped the telephone receiver, for a clatter sounded dully in her ears.
scarletnounUS /ˈskɑːrlət/
a variable color that is vivid red but sometimes with an orange tinge
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The blood seemed to drain away from her heart as she met the cruel menace of those blackly bitter eyes.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She must have dropped the telephone receiver, for a clatter sounded dully in her ears.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading She must have dropped the telephone receiver, for a clatter sounded dully in her ears.
squarelyadverbUS /ˈskwerli/
directly and without evasion; not roundabout
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading The strange and baleful glare of the man at the table held her gaze.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading The strange and baleful glare of the man at the table held her gaze.
telephonenounUS /ˈteləfoʊn/
electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds
From this reading She must have dropped the telephone receiver, for a clatter sounded dully in her ears.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She must have dropped the telephone receiver, for a clatter sounded dully in her ears.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading The blood seemed to drain away from her heart as she met the cruel menace of those blackly bitter eyes.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The blood seemed to drain away from her heart as she met the cruel menace of those blackly bitter eyes.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
having passed out of existence
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
capable of being seen; or open to easy view
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
someone who visits
From this reading But she knew her visitor again immediately.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The bushy dark beard had vanished and the fleshy scarlet lips pressed together in a hard line were clearly visible above the squarely massive chin.
