used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
anew
From this reading “I ask again your name and your business,” he shouted out in loud command.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Stepping to the wall, he drew that cord, then with an impatient sigh, returned to the door.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading Another quiet but insistent knock greeted him.
make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “I ask again your name and your business,” he shouted out in loud command.
a distinct feature or element in a problem
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading “I ask again your name and your business,” he shouted out in loud command.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Another quiet but insistent knock greeted him.
put or send forth
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
an authoritative direction or instruction to do something
From this reading “I ask again your name and your business,” he shouted out in loud command.
cordnounUS /kɔːrd/
a line made of twisted fibers or threads
From this reading Stepping to the wall, he drew that cord, then with an impatient sigh, returned to the door.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading “Tell them or--” He meant to say, “or I do not turn this key.”
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Stepping to the wall, he drew that cord, then with an impatient sigh, returned to the door.
United States actor (born in Ireland); father of Georgiana Emma Barrymore (1827-1862)
From this reading Stepping to the wall, he drew that cord, then with an impatient sigh, returned to the door.
an acknowledgment or expression of goodwill at parting
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
fittedadjectiveUS /ˈfɪtəd/
being the right size and shape to fit as desired
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
a feeling of intense anger
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
past form of “greet” — express greetings upon meeting someone
From this reading Another quiet but insistent knock greeted him.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Stepping to the wall, he drew that cord, then with an impatient sigh, returned to the door.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Another quiet but insistent knock greeted him.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I ask again your name and your business,” he shouted out in loud command.
restless or short-tempered under delay or opposition
From this reading Stepping to the wall, he drew that cord, then with an impatient sigh, returned to the door.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
insistentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsɪstənt/
repetitive and persistent
From this reading Another quiet but insistent knock greeted him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading Another quiet but insistent knock greeted him.
fasten with a lock
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
characterized by or producing sound of great volume or intensity
From this reading “I ask again your name and your business,” he shouted out in loud command.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading “Tell them or--” He meant to say, “or I do not turn this key.”
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading “I ask again your name and your business,” he shouted out in loud command.
not any; not one
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “Tell them or--” He meant to say, “or I do not turn this key.”
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading “Tell them or--” He meant to say, “or I do not turn this key.”
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “I ask again your name and your business,” he shouted out in loud command.
portentnounUS /ˈpɔːrtent/
a sign of something about to happen
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
quietadjectiveUS /ˈkwaɪət/
characterized by an absence or near absence of agitation or activity
From this reading Another quiet but insistent knock greeted him.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading Stepping to the wall, he drew that cord, then with an impatient sigh, returned to the door.
express in words
From this reading “Tell them or--” He meant to say, “or I do not turn this key.”
a general conscious awareness
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
in a vehement outcry
From this reading “I ask again your name and your business,” he shouted out in loud command.
heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading Stepping to the wall, he drew that cord, then with an impatient sigh, returned to the door.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
SteppingverbUS /ˈstepɪŋ/
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading Stepping to the wall, he drew that cord, then with an impatient sigh, returned to the door.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
express in words
From this reading “Tell them or--” He meant to say, “or I do not turn this key.”
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Stepping to the wall, he drew that cord, then with an impatient sigh, returned to the door.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Stepping to the wall, he drew that cord, then with an impatient sigh, returned to the door.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading “Tell them or--” He meant to say, “or I do not turn this key.”
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Stepping to the wall, he drew that cord, then with an impatient sigh, returned to the door.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “Tell them or--” He meant to say, “or I do not turn this key.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Stepping to the wall, he drew that cord, then with an impatient sigh, returned to the door.
change orientation or direction, also in the abstract sense
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
not clearly expressed or understood
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading Stepping to the wall, he drew that cord, then with an impatient sigh, returned to the door.
well-knownadjectiveUS /ˈwelˈnoʊn/
widely or fully known
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading In no fury now, but with a vague sense of portent which gave an aspect of farewell to the one quick glance he cast about the well-known spot, he fitted the key in the lock, and stood ready to turn it.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Stepping to the wall, he drew that cord, then with an impatient sigh, returned to the door.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “I ask again your name and your business,” he shouted out in loud command.
