1907
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I knew nothing of Henry James beyond the revelation of his novels and tales before the summer of 1907.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
abandonverbUS /əˈbændən/
forsake, leave behind
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
personal knowledge or information about someone or something
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
past form of “allow” — make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
amanuensisnoun
someone skilled in the transcription of speech (especially dictation)
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
AmbassadorsnounUS /æmˈbæsədərz/
plural of “ambassador” — a diplomat of the highest rank; accredited as representative from one country to another
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading I knew nothing of Henry James beyond the revelation of his novels and tales before the summer of 1907.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
astonishingadjectiveUS /əˈstɑːnɪʃɪŋ/
surprising greatly
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
the month following July and preceding September
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I knew nothing of Henry James beyond the revelation of his novels and tales before the summer of 1907.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
bewildermentnounUS /bɪˈwɪldərmənt/
confusion resulting from failure to understand
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading I knew nothing of Henry James beyond the revelation of his novels and tales before the summer of 1907.
Blue-book
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
physically and forcibly separated into pieces or cracked or split
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
the shore of a sea or ocean
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
CommissionnounUS /kəˈmɪʃən/
a special group delegated to consider some matter
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
compilingnounUS /kəmˈpaɪlɪŋ/
the act of compiling (as into a single book or file or list)
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
the act of working out the form of something (as by making a sketch or outline or plan)
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
dictatedadjectiveUS /dɪkˈteɪtɪd/
determined or decided upon as by an authority
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
plural of “ear” — the sense organ for hearing and equilibrium
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
ErosionnounUS /ɪˈroʊʒən/
(geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
at any time
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
fillingnounUS /ˈfɪlɪŋ/
any material that fills a space or container
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
a unit of inductance in which an induced electromotive force of one volt is produced when the current is varied at the rate of one ampere per second
From this reading I knew nothing of Henry James beyond the revelation of his novels and tales before the summer of 1907.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading I knew nothing of Henry James beyond the revelation of his novels and tales before the summer of 1907.
hopefuladjectiveUS /ˈhoʊpfəl/
having or manifesting hope
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I knew nothing of Henry James beyond the revelation of his novels and tales before the summer of 1907.
of the present time and place
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
indexnounUS /ˈɪndeks/
a numerical scale used to compare variables with one another or with some reference number
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
a republic in southern Europe on the Italian Peninsula; was the core of the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire between the 4th century BC and the 5th century AD
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
a Stuart king of Scotland who married a daughter of Henry VII; when England and France went to war in 1513 he invaded England and died in defeat at Flodden (1473-1513)
From this reading I knew nothing of Henry James beyond the revelation of his novels and tales before the summer of 1907.
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 I knew nothing of Henry James beyond the revelation of his novels and tales before the summer of 1907.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
learntverbUS /lɜːrnt/
inflected form of “learn” — gain knowledge or skills
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
lodgedverbUS /lɑːdʒd/
past form of “lodge” — be a lodger; stay temporarily
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
near in time or place or relationship
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
NeglectingverbUS /nɪˈɡlektɪŋ/
-ing form of “neglect” — leave undone or leave out
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading I knew nothing of Henry James beyond the revelation of his novels and tales before the summer of 1907.
novelsnounUS /ˈnɑːvəlz/
plural of “novel” — an extended fictional work in prose; usually in the form of a story
From this reading I knew nothing of Henry James beyond the revelation of his novels and tales before the summer of 1907.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I knew nothing of Henry James beyond the revelation of his novels and tales before the summer of 1907.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
operatornounUS /ˈɑːpəreɪtər/
(mathematics) a symbol or function representing a mathematical operation
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
passagesnounUS /ˈpæsədʒəz/
plural of “passage” — the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
petitionnounUS /pəˈtɪʃən/
a formal message requesting something that is submitted to an authority
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
affix in a public place or for public notice
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
past form of “provide” — give something useful or necessary to
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
to give an account or representation of in words
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
revelationnounUS /ˌrevəˈleɪʃən/
the speech act of making something evident
From this reading I knew nothing of Henry James beyond the revelation of his novels and tales before the summer of 1907.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
RoyaladjectiveUS /ˈrɔɪəl/
of or relating to or indicative of or issued or performed by a king or queen or other monarch
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
sentencesnounUS /ˈsentənsəz/
plural of “sentence” — a string of words satisfying the grammatical rules of a language
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading I knew nothing of Henry James beyond the revelation of his novels and tales before the summer of 1907.
supplantingnounUS /səˈplæntɪŋ/
act of taking the place of another especially using underhanded tactics
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
supposingverbUS /səˈpoʊzɪŋ/
-ing form of “suppose” — express a supposition
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
plural of “tale” — a message that tells the particulars of an act or occurrence or course of events; presented in writing or drama or cinema or as a radio or television program
From this reading I knew nothing of Henry James beyond the revelation of his novels and tales before the summer of 1907.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading I knew nothing of Henry James beyond the revelation of his novels and tales before the summer of 1907.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
tickingnounUS /ˈtɪkɪŋ/
a metallic tapping sound
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
top-floor
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
typewriternounUS /ˈtaɪpraɪtər/
hand-operated character printer for printing written messages one character at a time
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
typistnounUS /ˈtaɪpɪst/
someone paid to operate a typewriter
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
precisely as stated
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
look attentively
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
at the time that
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Neglecting my Blue-book, I turned round to watch the operator ticking off sentences which seemed to be at least as much of a surprise to her as they were to me.
WhitehallnounUS /ˈwaɪthɔːl/
a wide street in London stretching from Trafalgar Square to the Houses of Parliament; site of many government offices
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
in the company of; together with
From this reading When my bewilderment had broken into a question, I learnt that Henry James was on the point of coming back from Italy, that he had asked to be provided with an amanuensis, and that the lady at the typewriter was making acquaintance with his style.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading Without any hopeful design of supplanting her, I lodged an immediate petition that I might be allowed the next opportunity of filling the post, supposing she should ever abandon it.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading Then, as I sat in a top-floor office near Whitehall one August morning, compiling a very full index to the Report of the Royal Commission on Coast Erosion, my ears were struck by the astonishing sound of passages from _The Ambassadors_ being dictated to a young typist.
