Chapter XII

used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound

From this reading Proceeding, as it did, from the lips of Lady Constance Keeble, we must call it an exclamation of surprise.

used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

past form of “arrest” — take into custody

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

at the same time that; because; in the way that

From this reading Proceeding, as it did, from the lips of Lady Constance Keeble, we must call it an exclamation of surprise.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

possessive form of “beach” — an area of sand sloping down to the water of a sea or lake

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

a room used primarily for sleeping

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

the past participle of “be”

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Only when this urgent task had been performed did he start to go upstairs in quest of the wash and brush-up which he so greatly needed.

showing who or what does the action

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to

From this reading Proceeding, as it did, from the lips of Lady Constance Keeble, we must call it an exclamation of surprise.

to make a rush at or sudden attack upon, as in battle

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

carefully weighed

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

a lake in southeastern Germany on the northern side of the Swiss Alps; forms part of the Rhine River

From this reading Proceeding, as it did, from the lips of Lady Constance Keeble, we must call it an exclamation of surprise.

past form of “deliver” — deliver (a speech, oration, or idea)

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives

From this reading Only when this urgent task had been performed did he start to go upstairs in quest of the wash and brush-up which he so greatly needed.

having or expressing dignity; especially formality or stateliness in bearing or appearance

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

a British peer ranking below a marquess and above a viscount

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

an abrupt excited utterance

From this reading Proceeding, as it did, from the lips of Lady Constance Keeble, we must call it an exclamation of surprise.

communicated in words

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

preceding all others in time or space or degree

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

showing where something starts, or who sent it

From this reading Proceeding, as it did, from the lips of Lady Constance Keeble, we must call it an exclamation of surprise.

a plot of ground where plants are cultivated

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically

From this reading Only when this urgent task had been performed did he start to go upstairs in quest of the wash and brush-up which he so greatly needed.

to an extraordinary extent or degree

From this reading Only when this urgent task had been performed did he start to go upstairs in quest of the wash and brush-up which he so greatly needed.

the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject

From this reading Only when this urgent task had been performed did he start to go upstairs in quest of the wash and brush-up which he so greatly needed.

belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

inside something, or within a place, period, or state

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

moving to the inside of something

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned

From this reading Proceeding, as it did, from the lips of Lady Constance Keeble, we must call it an exclamation of surprise.

Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.

From this reading Proceeding, as it did, from the lips of Lady Constance Keeble, we must call it an exclamation of surprise.

a polite name for any woman

From this reading Proceeding, as it did, from the lips of Lady Constance Keeble, we must call it an exclamation of surprise.

of less size or importance

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking

From this reading Proceeding, as it did, from the lips of Lady Constance Keeble, we must call it an exclamation of surprise.

the time period between dawn and noon

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

form in clay, wax, etc

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

an event that involves rising to a higher point (as in altitude or temperature or intensity etc.)

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

a form of address for a man

From this reading "Mr. Baxter!"

used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true

From this reading Proceeding, as it did, from the lips of Lady Constance Keeble, we must call it an exclamation of surprise.

necessary for relief or supply

From this reading Only when this urgent task had been performed did he start to go upstairs in quest of the wash and brush-up which he so greatly needed.

a brief written record

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

and nothing more

From this reading Only when this urgent task had been performed did he start to go upstairs in quest of the wash and brush-up which he so greatly needed.

used of mouth or eyes

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

past form of “perform” — carry out or perform an action

From this reading Only when this urgent task had been performed did he start to go upstairs in quest of the wash and brush-up which he so greatly needed.

(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked

From this reading Proceeding, as it did, from the lips of Lady Constance Keeble, we must call it an exclamation of surprise.

gradual improvement or growth or development

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

a search for an alternative that meets cognitive criteria

From this reading Only when this urgent task had been performed did he start to go upstairs in quest of the wash and brush-up which he so greatly needed.

past form of “reach” — reach a destination, either real or abstract

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

English leader (born in Germany) of the Royalist forces during the English Civil War (1619-1682)

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

for that reason; with the result that

From this reading Only when this urgent task had been performed did he start to go upstairs in quest of the wash and brush-up which he so greatly needed.

marked or dyed or discolored with foreign matter

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

a flight of stairs or a flight of steps

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

take the first step or steps in carrying out an action

From this reading Only when this urgent task had been performed did he start to go upstairs in quest of the wash and brush-up which he so greatly needed.

not in physical motion

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you

From this reading Proceeding, as it did, from the lips of Lady Constance Keeble, we must call it an exclamation of surprise.

any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted

From this reading Only when this urgent task had been performed did he start to go upstairs in quest of the wash and brush-up which he so greatly needed.

used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned

From this reading Only when this urgent task had been performed did he start to go upstairs in quest of the wash and brush-up which he so greatly needed.

used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

a formal word for “on”

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

on a floor above

From this reading Only when this urgent task had been performed did he start to go upstairs in quest of the wash and brush-up which he so greatly needed.

compelling immediate action

From this reading Only when this urgent task had been performed did he start to go upstairs in quest of the wash and brush-up which he so greatly needed.

the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

clean with some chemical process

From this reading Only when this urgent task had been performed did he start to go upstairs in quest of the wash and brush-up which he so greatly needed.

the speaker together with one or more other people

From this reading Proceeding, as it did, from the lips of Lady Constance Keeble, we must call it an exclamation of surprise.

used to ask for information about something

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

at the time that

From this reading Only when this urgent task had been performed did he start to go upstairs in quest of the wash and brush-up which he so greatly needed.

used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

in the company of; together with

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.

set down in writing in any of various ways

From this reading I The firm and dignified note in which Rupert Baxter had expressed his considered opinion of the Earl of Emsworth had been written in the morning room immediately upon the ex-secretary's return to the house and delivered into Beach's charge with hands still stained with garden mould.

a sharp high-pitched cry (especially by a dog)

From this reading He was mounting the stairs to his bedroom and had reached the first floor when a door opened and his progress was arrested by what in a lesser woman would have been a yelp.