used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Her eyes were the best of her he thought, big gray things under black brows, with a dark ring, well defined, about the iris.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He had seen no such eyes before.
a long seat for more than one person
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
the supreme effort one can make
From this reading Her eyes were the best of her he thought, big gray things under black brows, with a dark ring, well defined, about the iris.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Her eyes were the best of her he thought, big gray things under black brows, with a dark ring, well defined, about the iris.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Her eyes were the best of her he thought, big gray things under black brows, with a dark ring, well defined, about the iris.
browsnounUS /braʊz/
plural of “brow” — the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading Her eyes were the best of her he thought, big gray things under black brows, with a dark ring, well defined, about the iris.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading If she came close upon him--well, it was worth risking; he had a good horse.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading If she came close upon him--well, it was worth risking; he had a good horse.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Her eyes were the best of her he thought, big gray things under black brows, with a dark ring, well defined, about the iris.
definedadjectiveUS /dɪˈfaɪnd/
clearly characterized or delimited
From this reading Her eyes were the best of her he thought, big gray things under black brows, with a dark ring, well defined, about the iris.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading He might see her from a distance.
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 A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
the cardinal compass point that is at 90 degrees
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Her eyes were the best of her he thought, big gray things under black brows, with a dark ring, well defined, about the iris.
fleeverbUS /fliː/
run away quickly
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading If she came close upon him--well, it was worth risking; he had a good horse.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading Her eyes were the best of her he thought, big gray things under black brows, with a dark ring, well defined, about the iris.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
solid-hoofed herbivorous quadruped domesticated since prehistoric times
From this reading If she came close upon him--well, it was worth risking; he had a good horse.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If she came close upon him--well, it was worth risking; he had a good horse.
an instinctive motive
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
irisnounUS /ˈaɪrəs/
plants with sword-shaped leaves and erect stalks bearing bright-colored flowers composed of three petals and three drooping sepals
From this reading Her eyes were the best of her he thought, big gray things under black brows, with a dark ring, well defined, about the iris.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading If she came close upon him--well, it was worth risking; he had a good horse.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He might see her from a distance.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
not any; not one
From this reading He had seen no such eyes before.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
a word picture of a person's appearance and character
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading Her eyes were the best of her he thought, big gray things under black brows, with a dark ring, well defined, about the iris.
riskingverbUS /ˈrɪskɪŋ/
-ing form of “risk” — expose to a chance of loss or damage
From this reading If she came close upon him--well, it was worth risking; he had a good horse.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He might see her from a distance.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading He had seen no such eyes before.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading He had seen no such eyes before.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Her eyes were the best of her he thought, big gray things under black brows, with a dark ring, well defined, about the iris.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Her eyes were the best of her he thought, big gray things under black brows, with a dark ring, well defined, about the iris.
tingleverbUS /ˈtɪŋɡəl/
cause a stinging or tingling sensation
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading Her eyes were the best of her he thought, big gray things under black brows, with a dark ring, well defined, about the iris.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading If she came close upon him--well, it was worth risking; he had a good horse.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
(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 If she came close upon him--well, it was worth risking; he had a good horse.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Her eyes were the best of her he thought, big gray things under black brows, with a dark ring, well defined, about the iris.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A PORTRAIT Though she had made him tingle with an impulse to flee from her, he was at the edge of the east bench early the next afternoon.
an indefinite quantity of something having a specified value
From this reading If she came close upon him--well, it was worth risking; he had a good horse.
