used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
abruptadjectiveUS /əˈbrʌpt/
marked by sudden changes in subject and sharp transitions
From this reading He could be decisive, stern, abrupt, if it was really needed.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
appallingnounUS /əˈpɔːlɪŋ/
an experience that appalls
From this reading But his most pungent reproofs were inflicted by a blank silence, which was one of the most appalling things to encounter.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
blankadjectiveUS /blæŋk/
(of a surface) not written or printed on
From this reading But his most pungent reproofs were inflicted by a blank silence, which was one of the most appalling things to encounter.
business-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He would sometimes pull himself up and say: "Here, we must be business-like," but he was never reproachful or grieved or shocked by what we said to him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He would sometimes pull himself up and say: "Here, we must be business-like," but he was never reproachful or grieved or shocked by what we said to him.
contradictoryadjectiveUS /ˌkɑːntrəˈdɪktəri/
of words or propositions so related that both cannot be true and both cannot be false
From this reading He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
decisiveadjectiveUS /dɪˈsaɪsɪv/
determining or having the power to determine an outcome
From this reading He could be decisive, stern, abrupt, if it was really needed.
greatly pleasing or entertaining
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
one or the other of two
From this reading He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
encounterverbUS /ɪnˈkaʊntər/
come together
From this reading But his most pungent reproofs were inflicted by a blank silence, which was one of the most appalling things to encounter.
descend in free fall under the influence of gravity
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
bright and pleasant; promoting a feeling of cheer
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
grievedverbUS /ɡriːvd/
past form of “grieve” — feel grief
From this reading He would sometimes pull himself up and say: "Here, we must be business-like," but he was never reproachful or grieved or shocked by what we said to him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading He would sometimes pull himself up and say: "Here, we must be business-like," but he was never reproachful or grieved or shocked by what we said to him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading He would sometimes pull himself up and say: "Here, we must be business-like," but he was never reproachful or grieved or shocked by what we said to him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading But his most pungent reproofs were inflicted by a blank silence, which was one of the most appalling things to encounter.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
improvingadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpruːvɪŋ/
getting higher or more vigorous
From this reading He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
incisiveadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsaɪsɪv/
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
inflictedverbUS /ˌɪnˈflɪktɪd/
past form of “inflict” — impose something unpleasant
From this reading But his most pungent reproofs were inflicted by a blank silence, which was one of the most appalling things to encounter.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
used to form the superlative
From this reading But his most pungent reproofs were inflicted by a blank silence, which was one of the most appalling things to encounter.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading He would sometimes pull himself up and say: "Here, we must be business-like," but he was never reproachful or grieved or shocked by what we said to him.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But his most pungent reproofs were inflicted by a blank silence, which was one of the most appalling things to encounter.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
cause to move by pulling
From this reading He would sometimes pull himself up and say: "Here, we must be business-like," but he was never reproachful or grieved or shocked by what we said to him.
pungentadjectiveUS /ˈpʌndʒənt/
strong and sharp
From this reading But his most pungent reproofs were inflicted by a blank silence, which was one of the most appalling things to encounter.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading He could be decisive, stern, abrupt, if it was really needed.
reproachfuladjective
expressing reproof or reproach especially as a corrective
From this reading He would sometimes pull himself up and say: "Here, we must be business-like," but he was never reproachful or grieved or shocked by what we said to him.
reproofs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But his most pungent reproofs were inflicted by a blank silence, which was one of the most appalling things to encounter.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading He would sometimes pull himself up and say: "Here, we must be business-like," but he was never reproachful or grieved or shocked by what we said to him.
express in words
From this reading He would sometimes pull himself up and say: "Here, we must be business-like," but he was never reproachful or grieved or shocked by what we said to him.
showing reason or sound judgment
From this reading He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
intensely or extremely bad or unpleasant in degree or quality
From this reading He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
shockedadjectiveUS /ʃɑːkt/
struck with fear, dread, or consternation
From this reading He would sometimes pull himself up and say: "Here, we must be business-like," but he was never reproachful or grieved or shocked by what we said to him.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading But his most pungent reproofs were inflicted by a blank silence, which was one of the most appalling things to encounter.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading He would sometimes pull himself up and say: "Here, we must be business-like," but he was never reproachful or grieved or shocked by what we said to him.
sternadjectiveUS /stɜːrn/
of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect
From this reading He could be decisive, stern, abrupt, if it was really needed.
sympatheticadjectiveUS /ˌsɪmpəˈθetɪk/
of or relating to the sympathetic nervous system
From this reading He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
given to sympathy or gentleness or sentimentality
From this reading He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
a special situation
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading But his most pungent reproofs were inflicted by a blank silence, which was one of the most appalling things to encounter.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He would sometimes pull himself up and say: "Here, we must be business-like," but he was never reproachful or grieved or shocked by what we said to him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading He would sometimes pull himself up and say: "Here, we must be business-like," but he was never reproachful or grieved or shocked by what we said to him.
(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 He could be tender and sympathetic, as well as incisive and sensible if it was needed; but he was never either contradictory or severe or improving.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But his most pungent reproofs were inflicted by a blank silence, which was one of the most appalling things to encounter.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He would sometimes pull himself up and say: "Here, we must be business-like," but he was never reproachful or grieved or shocked by what we said to him.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading But his most pungent reproofs were inflicted by a blank silence, which was one of the most appalling things to encounter.
in the company of; together with
From this reading That was the delightful thing about him, that he was always ready to fall in with a mood, always light of touch and gay.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He would sometimes pull himself up and say: "Here, we must be business-like," but he was never reproachful or grieved or shocked by what we said to him.
