used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading When he heard that the sculptor had a model sitting to him at the moment, he had asked the janitor to take in his card.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
the two together, not just one
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading The janitor called out through the key-hole that a strange gentleman wished to speak with Herr Jansen.
one of a set of small pieces of stiff paper marked in various ways and used for playing games or for telling fortunes
From this reading When he heard that the sculptor had a model sitting to him at the moment, he had asked the janitor to take in his card.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
claynounUS /kleɪ/
a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading With this the janitor pushed the card through a narrow hole in the door made for the purpose.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
a man of refinement
From this reading The janitor called out through the key-hole that a strange gentleman wished to speak with Herr Jansen.
grumblingnounUS /ˈɡrʌmbəlɪŋ/
a loud low dull continuous noise
From this reading The sculptor, grumbling, went toward the threshold and picked up the card.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading When he heard that the sculptor had a model sitting to him at the moment, he had asked the janitor to take in his card.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When he heard that the sculptor had a model sitting to him at the moment, he had asked the janitor to take in his card.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading When he heard that the sculptor had a model sitting to him at the moment, he had asked the janitor to take in his card.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
HerrnounUS /her/
a German man; used before the name as a title equivalent to Mr in English
From this reading The janitor called out through the key-hole that a strange gentleman wished to speak with Herr Jansen.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When he heard that the sculptor had a model sitting to him at the moment, he had asked the janitor to take in his card.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
an opening into or through something
From this reading With this the janitor pushed the card through a narrow hole in the door made for the purpose.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
janitornounUS /ˈdʒænətər/
someone employed to clean and maintain a building
From this reading The janitor called out through the key-hole that a strange gentleman wished to speak with Herr Jansen.
JansennounUS /ˈdʒænsən/
a Dutch Roman Catholic theologian (1585-1638)
From this reading The janitor called out through the key-hole that a strange gentleman wished to speak with Herr Jansen.
and nothing more
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
key-hole
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The janitor called out through the key-hole that a strange gentleman wished to speak with Herr Jansen.
kneadingverbUS /ˈniːdɪŋ/
-ing form of “knead” — make uniform
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
hear with intention
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading With this the janitor pushed the card through a narrow hole in the door made for the purpose.
modelnounUS /ˈmɑːdəl/
a hypothetical description of a complex entity or process
From this reading When he heard that the sculptor had a model sitting to him at the moment, he had asked the janitor to take in his card.
a particular point in time
From this reading When he heard that the sculptor had a model sitting to him at the moment, he had asked the janitor to take in his card.
muddyadjectiveUS /ˈmʌdi/
(of soil) soft and watery
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading With this the janitor pushed the card through a narrow hole in the door made for the purpose.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The janitor called out through the key-hole that a strange gentleman wished to speak with Herr Jansen.
past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group
From this reading The sculptor, grumbling, went toward the threshold and picked up the card.
an anticipated outcome that is intended or that guides your planned actions
From this reading With this the janitor pushed the card through a narrow hole in the door made for the purpose.
past form of “push” — move with force
From this reading With this the janitor pushed the card through a narrow hole in the door made for the purpose.
having or caused by an irregular surface
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
sculptornounUS /ˈskʌlptər/
an artist who creates sculptures
From this reading When he heard that the sculptor had a model sitting to him at the moment, he had asked the janitor to take in his card.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading When he heard that the sculptor had a model sitting to him at the moment, he had asked the janitor to take in his card.
express in speech
From this reading The janitor called out through the key-hole that a strange gentleman wished to speak with Herr Jansen.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading The janitor called out through the key-hole that a strange gentleman wished to speak with Herr Jansen.
carry out
From this reading When he heard that the sculptor had a model sitting to him at the moment, he had asked the janitor to take in his card.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The janitor called out through the key-hole that a strange gentleman wished to speak with Herr Jansen.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading With this the janitor pushed the card through a narrow hole in the door made for the purpose.
thresholdnounUS /ˈθreʃoʊld/
the starting point for a new state or experience
From this reading The sculptor, grumbling, went toward the threshold and picked up the card.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The janitor called out through the key-hole that a strange gentleman wished to speak with Herr Jansen.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading The sculptor, grumbling, went toward the threshold and picked up the card.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The sculptor, grumbling, went toward the threshold and picked up the card.
at the time that
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
a Caucasian
From this reading She was just about to lay her round, white little hand in his, which was rough and muddy from kneading the clay, when a knock at the door caused them both to look up and listen.
past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish
From this reading The janitor called out through the key-hole that a strange gentleman wished to speak with Herr Jansen.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The janitor called out through the key-hole that a strange gentleman wished to speak with Herr Jansen.
