used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Resting against the edge of his work-table, he studied ruefully a cigarette which he was too indifferent or too distracted to continue smoking.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
adjustingverbUS /əˈdʒʌstɪŋ/
-ing form of “adjust” — alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard
From this reading Leaving the door ajar and lighting his reading-lamp, Matthias closed the shutters at the long windows, adjusting their slats for ventilation.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading Resting against the edge of his work-table, he studied ruefully a cigarette which he was too indifferent or too distracted to continue smoking.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
ajaradjectiveUS /əˈdʒɑːr/
slightly open
From this reading Leaving the door ajar and lighting his reading-lamp, Matthias closed the shutters at the long windows, adjusting their slats for ventilation.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
ascendedverbUS /əˈsendɪd/
past form of “ascend” — travel up
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Leaving the door ajar and lighting his reading-lamp, Matthias closed the shutters at the long windows, adjusting their slats for ventilation.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
cigarettenounUS /ˌsɪɡərˈet/
finely ground tobacco wrapped in paper; for smoking
From this reading Resting against the edge of his work-table, he studied ruefully a cigarette which he was too indifferent or too distracted to continue smoking.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading Leaving the door ajar and lighting his reading-lamp, Matthias closed the shutters at the long windows, adjusting their slats for ventilation.
continue a certain state, condition, or activity
From this reading Resting against the edge of his work-table, he studied ruefully a cigarette which he was too indifferent or too distracted to continue smoking.
distractedadjectiveUS /dɪˈstræktəd/
having the attention diverted especially because of anxiety
From this reading Resting against the edge of his work-table, he studied ruefully a cigarette which he was too indifferent or too distracted to continue smoking.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Leaving the door ajar and lighting his reading-lamp, Matthias closed the shutters at the long windows, adjusting their slats for ventilation.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading Resting against the edge of his work-table, he studied ruefully a cigarette which he was too indifferent or too distracted to continue smoking.
go or come after and bring or take back
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Leaving the door ajar and lighting his reading-lamp, Matthias closed the shutters at the long windows, adjusting their slats for ventilation.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
only a very short time before
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
in a hurried or hasty manner
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Then for some minutes he was left to himself.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
I'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
indifferentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdɪfrənt/
marked by a lack of interest
From this reading Resting against the edge of his work-table, he studied ruefully a cigarette which he was too indifferent or too distracted to continue smoking.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
the act of departing
From this reading Leaving the door ajar and lighting his reading-lamp, Matthias closed the shutters at the long windows, adjusting their slats for ventilation.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading Then for some minutes he was left to himself.
lightingnounUS /ˈlaɪtɪŋ/
having abundant light or illumination
From this reading Leaving the door ajar and lighting his reading-lamp, Matthias closed the shutters at the long windows, adjusting their slats for ventilation.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Leaving the door ajar and lighting his reading-lamp, Matthias closed the shutters at the long windows, adjusting their slats for ventilation.
Matthias
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leaving the door ajar and lighting his reading-lamp, Matthias closed the shutters at the long windows, adjusting their slats for ventilation.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading Then for some minutes he was left to himself.
mushroomnounUS /ˈmʌʃruːm/
common name for an edible agaric (contrasting with the inedible toadstool)
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
inflected form of “nod” — express or signify by nodding
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Resting against the edge of his work-table, he studied ruefully a cigarette which he was too indifferent or too distracted to continue smoking.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Resting against the edge of his work-table, he studied ruefully a cigarette which he was too indifferent or too distracted to continue smoking.
pearlyadjectiveUS /ˈpɜːrli/
of a white the color of pearls
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
reading-lamp
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Leaving the door ajar and lighting his reading-lamp, Matthias closed the shutters at the long windows, adjusting their slats for ventilation.
-ing form of “rest” — not move; be in a resting position
From this reading Resting against the edge of his work-table, he studied ruefully a cigarette which he was too indifferent or too distracted to continue smoking.
precisely, exactly
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
ruefullyadverbUS /ˈruːfəli/
in a rueful manner
From this reading Resting against the edge of his work-table, he studied ruefully a cigarette which he was too indifferent or too distracted to continue smoking.
scurriedverbUS /ˈskɜːrid/
inflected form of “scurry” — to move about or proceed hurriedly
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
shuttersnounUS /ˈʃʌtərz/
plural of “shutter” — a mechanical device on a camera that opens and closes to control the time of a photographic exposure
From this reading Leaving the door ajar and lighting his reading-lamp, Matthias closed the shutters at the long windows, adjusting their slats for ventilation.
slatsnounUS /slæts/
plural of “slat” — a thin strip (wood or metal)
From this reading Leaving the door ajar and lighting his reading-lamp, Matthias closed the shutters at the long windows, adjusting their slats for ventilation.
being of delicate or slender build
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
the act of smoking tobacco or other substances
From this reading Resting against the edge of his work-table, he studied ruefully a cigarette which he was too indifferent or too distracted to continue smoking.
Smoulderingadjective
showing scarcely suppressed anger
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Then for some minutes he was left to himself.
a flight of stairs or a flight of steps
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
stalkverbUS /stɔːk/
walk stiffly
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
not in physical motion
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
produced or marked by conscious design or premeditation
From this reading Resting against the edge of his work-table, he studied ruefully a cigarette which he was too indifferent or too distracted to continue smoking.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Leaving the door ajar and lighting his reading-lamp, Matthias closed the shutters at the long windows, adjusting their slats for ventilation.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then for some minutes he was left to himself.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Resting against the edge of his work-table, he studied ruefully a cigarette which he was too indifferent or too distracted to continue smoking.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
vapournoun
a visible suspension in the air of particles of some substance
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
ventilationnounUS /ˌventəˈleɪʃən/
the act of supplying fresh air and getting rid of foul air
From this reading Leaving the door ajar and lighting his reading-lamp, Matthias closed the shutters at the long windows, adjusting their slats for ventilation.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Then for some minutes he was left to himself.
waververbUS /ˈweɪvər/
pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading She nodded--"I'll go fetch it right away"--and scurried hastily up the stairs as he went on to his room.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Resting against the edge of his work-table, he studied ruefully a cigarette which he was too indifferent or too distracted to continue smoking.
widelyadverbUS /ˈwaɪdli/
to a great degree
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
(trademark) an operating system with a graphical user interface
From this reading Leaving the door ajar and lighting his reading-lamp, Matthias closed the shutters at the long windows, adjusting their slats for ventilation.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Smouldering between his fingers, its slender stalk of pearly vapour ascended with hardly a waver in the still air, to mushroom widely above his head.
work-table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Resting against the edge of his work-table, he studied ruefully a cigarette which he was too indifferent or too distracted to continue smoking.
