used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
AfterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
animationnounUS /ˌænəˈmeɪʃən/
the condition of living or the state of being alive
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
awaitedadjectiveUS /əˈweɪtɪd/
expected hopefully
From this reading The ladies were on foot, loftily oblivious to the fact that three empty saddles awaited their pleasure.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
balanceverbUS /ˈbæləns/
bring into balance or equilibrium
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The situation held for her mischief-loving soul undreamed-of possibilities; and though she ostensibly occupied herself with the officers, she by no means neglected the donkey-man.
put or send forth
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
casualadjectiveUS /ˈkæʒəwəl/
marked by blithe unconcern
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
cavalcadenounUS /ˈkævəlkeɪd/
a procession of people traveling on horseback
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
chafing-dish
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
Colombo'snounUS /kəˈlʌmboʊz/
possessive form of “colombo” — the capital and largest city of Sri Lanka; has one of the largest harbors in the world; is located on the western coast of the island of Ceylon
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
ConstancenounUS /ˈkɑːnstəns/
a lake in southeastern Germany on the northern side of the Swiss Alps; forms part of the Rhine River
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
Cristoforo
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
cause to be slowed down or delayed
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
donkey-man
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The situation held for her mischief-loving soul undreamed-of possibilities; and though she ostensibly occupied herself with the officers, she by no means neglected the donkey-man.
one or the other of two
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading The ladies were on foot, loftily oblivious to the fact that three empty saddles awaited their pleasure.
the organ of sight
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading The ladies were on foot, loftily oblivious to the fact that three empty saddles awaited their pleasure.
filedverbUS /faɪld/
past form of “file” — record in a public office or in a court of law
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The ladies were on foot, loftily oblivious to the fact that three empty saddles awaited their pleasure.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The situation held for her mischief-loving soul undreamed-of possibilities; and though she ostensibly occupied herself with the officers, she by no means neglected the donkey-man.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
gatewaynounUS /ˈɡeɪtweɪ/
an entrance that can be closed by a gate
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
gesticulatingadjective
making gestures while speaking
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
depressingly dark
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading The situation held for her mischief-loving soul undreamed-of possibilities; and though she ostensibly occupied herself with the officers, she by no means neglected the donkey-man.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading The situation held for her mischief-loving soul undreamed-of possibilities; and though she ostensibly occupied herself with the officers, she by no means neglected the donkey-man.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
imposingadjectiveUS /ˌɪmˈpoʊzɪŋ/
impressive in appearance
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
inabilitynounUS /ˌɪnəˈbɪlɪti/
lack of ability (especially mental ability) to do something
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
a native or inhabitant of Italy
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading The ladies were on foot, loftily oblivious to the fact that three empty saddles awaited their pleasure.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
loftilyadverb
in a lofty manner
From this reading The ladies were on foot, loftily oblivious to the fact that three empty saddles awaited their pleasure.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading The situation held for her mischief-loving soul undreamed-of possibilities; and though she ostensibly occupied herself with the officers, she by no means neglected the donkey-man.
mischief-loving
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The situation held for her mischief-loving soul undreamed-of possibilities; and though she ostensibly occupied herself with the officers, she by no means neglected the donkey-man.
neglectedadjectiveUS /nəˈɡlektəd/
disregarded
From this reading The situation held for her mischief-loving soul undreamed-of possibilities; and though she ostensibly occupied herself with the officers, she by no means neglected the donkey-man.
not any; not one
From this reading The situation held for her mischief-loving soul undreamed-of possibilities; and though she ostensibly occupied herself with the officers, she by no means neglected the donkey-man.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
obliviousadjectiveUS /əˈblɪviəs/
(followed by “to” or “of”) lacking conscious awareness of
From this reading The ladies were on foot, loftily oblivious to the fact that three empty saddles awaited their pleasure.
held or filled or in use
From this reading The situation held for her mischief-loving soul undreamed-of possibilities; and though she ostensibly occupied herself with the officers, she by no means neglected the donkey-man.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
plural of “officer” — any person in the armed services who holds a position of authority or command
From this reading The situation held for her mischief-loving soul undreamed-of possibilities; and though she ostensibly occupied herself with the officers, she by no means neglected the donkey-man.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
ostensiblyadverbUS /ɑːˈstensəbli/
from appearances alone
From this reading The situation held for her mischief-loving soul undreamed-of possibilities; and though she ostensibly occupied herself with the officers, she by no means neglected the donkey-man.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
owingadjectiveUS /ˈoʊɪŋ/
owed as a debt
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading The ladies were on foot, loftily oblivious to the fact that three empty saddles awaited their pleasure.
possibilitiesnounUS /ˌpɑːsəˈbɪlətiz/
plural of “possibility” — a future prospect or potential
From this reading The situation held for her mischief-loving soul undreamed-of possibilities; and though she ostensibly occupied herself with the officers, she by no means neglected the donkey-man.
redoubledadjectiveUS /riˈdʌbəld/
become much greater in intensity or size or amount
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
saddlesnounUS /ˈsædəlz/
plural of “saddle” — a seat for the rider of a horse or other animal
From this reading The ladies were on foot, loftily oblivious to the fact that three empty saddles awaited their pleasure.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading The situation held for her mischief-loving soul undreamed-of possibilities; and though she ostensibly occupied herself with the officers, she by no means neglected the donkey-man.
sombreadjective
lacking brightness or color; dull
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading The situation held for her mischief-loving soul undreamed-of possibilities; and though she ostensibly occupied herself with the officers, she by no means neglected the donkey-man.
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The ladies were on foot, loftily oblivious to the fact that three empty saddles awaited their pleasure.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The ladies were on foot, loftily oblivious to the fact that three empty saddles awaited their pleasure.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading She now and then cast a casual glance over her shoulder, and as she caught sight of his gloomy face the animation of her Italian redoubled.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The situation held for her mischief-loving soul undreamed-of possibilities; and though she ostensibly occupied herself with the officers, she by no means neglected the donkey-man.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading The ladies were on foot, loftily oblivious to the fact that three empty saddles awaited their pleasure.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
Tony
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
Tony's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading After some delay--owing to Tony's inability to balance the chafing-dish on Cristoforo Colombo's back--they filed from the gateway, an imposing cavalcade.
trudgingverbUS /ˈtrʌdʒɪŋ/
-ing form of “trudge” — walk heavily and firmly, as when weary, or through mud
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
undreamed-of
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The situation held for her mischief-loving soul undreamed-of possibilities; and though she ostensibly occupied herself with the officers, she by no means neglected the donkey-man.
vivaciouslyadverb
with vivacity
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The ladies were on foot, loftily oblivious to the fact that three empty saddles awaited their pleasure.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Constance, a gesticulating officer at either hand, was vivaciously talking Italian, while Tony, trudging behind, listened with a sombre light in his eye.
