used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading And all this had come to him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading There were other things to think of--things as new and startling as the dawn of day must have appeared to the opening eyes of the first man.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading And all this had come to him.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading All these years he had groped in darkness, seeking and never finding till the dreams of youth were dead.
the first light of day
From this reading There were other things to think of--things as new and startling as the dawn of day must have appeared to the opening eyes of the first man.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading There were other things to think of--things as new and startling as the dawn of day must have appeared to the opening eyes of the first man.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading All these years he had groped in darkness, seeking and never finding till the dreams of youth were dead.
plural of “dream” — a series of mental images and emotions occurring during sleep
From this reading All these years he had groped in darkness, seeking and never finding till the dreams of youth were dead.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
opinion or judgment
From this reading There were other things to think of--things as new and startling as the dawn of day must have appeared to the opening eyes of the first man.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
the act of determining the properties of something, usually by research or calculation
From this reading All these years he had groped in darkness, seeking and never finding till the dreams of youth were dead.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading There were other things to think of--things as new and startling as the dawn of day must have appeared to the opening eyes of the first man.
any substance that can be metabolized by an animal to give energy and build tissue
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
gropedverbUS /ɡroʊpt/
past form of “grope” — feel about uncertainly or blindly
From this reading All these years he had groped in darkness, seeking and never finding till the dreams of youth were dead.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading All these years he had groped in darkness, seeking and never finding till the dreams of youth were dead.
Henley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading All these years he had groped in darkness, seeking and never finding till the dreams of youth were dead.
being of such surpassing excellence as to suggest inspiration by the gods
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
investigationnounUS /ˌɪnvestəˈɡeɪʃən/
an inquiry into unfamiliar or questionable activities
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading There were other things to think of--things as new and startling as the dawn of day must have appeared to the opening eyes of the first man.
the food served and eaten at one time
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading There were other things to think of--things as new and startling as the dawn of day must have appeared to the opening eyes of the first man.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading All these years he had groped in darkness, seeking and never finding till the dreams of youth were dead.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading There were other things to think of--things as new and startling as the dawn of day must have appeared to the opening eyes of the first man.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There were other things to think of--things as new and startling as the dawn of day must have appeared to the opening eyes of the first man.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading There were other things to think of--things as new and startling as the dawn of day must have appeared to the opening eyes of the first man.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
probingadjectiveUS /ˈproʊbɪŋ/
diligent and thorough in inquiry or investigation
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
an essential and distinguishing attribute of something or someone
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
regardingverbUS /rɪˈɡɑːrdɪŋ/
-ing form of “regard” — deem to be
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
rivetverbUS /ˈrɪvət/
direct one's attention on something
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
cut with a saw
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
the act of searching for something
From this reading All these years he had groped in darkness, seeking and never finding till the dreams of youth were dead.
past form of “serve” — serve a purpose, role, or function
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
shiftingadjectiveUS /ˈʃɪftɪŋ/
continuously varying
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
startlingadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːrtlɪŋ/
so remarkably different or sudden as to cause momentary shock or alarm
From this reading There were other things to think of--things as new and startling as the dawn of day must have appeared to the opening eyes of the first man.
stealthilyadverb
in a stealthy manner
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There were other things to think of--things as new and startling as the dawn of day must have appeared to the opening eyes of the first man.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading All these years he had groped in darkness, seeking and never finding till the dreams of youth were dead.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading There were other things to think of--things as new and startling as the dawn of day must have appeared to the opening eyes of the first man.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading There were other things to think of--things as new and startling as the dawn of day must have appeared to the opening eyes of the first man.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading And all this had come to him.
up to a particular time
From this reading All these years he had groped in darkness, seeking and never finding till the dreams of youth were dead.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
to-night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading There were other things to think of--things as new and startling as the dawn of day must have appeared to the opening eyes of the first man.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading Across the table at the evening meal Henley saw his wife regarding him stealthily as she served the food to him and the others.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Her look had a queer, shifting, probing quality, which at any other time would have inspired investigation, but she failed to rivet his attention to-night.
a late time of life
From this reading All these years he had groped in darkness, seeking and never finding till the dreams of youth were dead.
a young person (especially a young man or boy)
From this reading All these years he had groped in darkness, seeking and never finding till the dreams of youth were dead.
