used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Although his face was in shadow there seemed something familiar about him.
aboveprepositionUS /əˈbʌv/
higher than, or over, something
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
accordverbUS /əˈkɔːrd/
go together
From this reading With one accord they peered up the dim well of the staircase.
alteredadjectiveUS /ˈɔːltərd/
changed in form or character without becoming something else
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Although his face was in shadow there seemed something familiar about him.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
any thing at all
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
a permanent organization of the military land forces of a nation or state
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
attirenounUS /əˈtaɪər/
clothing of a distinctive style or for a particular occasion
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
belligerencenounUS /bəˈlɪdʒərəns/
hostile or warlike attitude or nature
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
belowprepositionUS /bɪˈloʊ/
at or to a lower level than something
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
buttonnounUS /ˈbʌtən/
a round fastener sewn to shirts and coats etc to fit through buttonholes
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
capaciousadjectiveUS /kəˈpeɪʃəs/
large in capacity
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
chucklenounUS /ˈtʃʌkəl/
a soft partly suppressed laugh
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
cladadjectiveUS /klæd/
wearing or provided with clothing; sometimes used in combination
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
clutchingverbUS /ˈklʌtʃɪŋ/
-ing form of “clutch” — take hold of; grab
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
darklyadverbUS /ˈdɑːrkli/
without light
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
lacking in light; not bright or harsh
From this reading With one accord they peered up the dim well of the staircase.
dishevelledadjective
in disarray; extremely disorderly
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
one or the other of two
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
divisible by two
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
opinion or judgment
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Although his face was in shadow there seemed something familiar about him.
fadedadjectiveUS /ˈfeɪdəd/
having lost freshness or brilliance of color
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
well known or easily recognized
From this reading Although his face was in shadow there seemed something familiar about him.
firmly closed or secured
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Although his face was in shadow there seemed something familiar about him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
intrudersnounUS /ˌɪnˈtruːdərz/
plural of “intruder” — someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another without permission
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
lazyadjectiveUS /ˈleɪzi/
moving slowly and gently
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
departing or being caused to depart from the true vertical or horizontal
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
man'snounUS /mænz/
possessive form of “man” — an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading With one accord they peered up the dim well of the staircase.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading With one accord they peered up the dim well of the staircase.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
orange-striped
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
peeredverbUS /pɪrd/
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading With one accord they peered up the dim well of the staircase.
pyjamas
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
railnounUS /reɪl/
a barrier consisting of a horizontal bar and supports
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
revolvernounUS /rɪˈvɑːlvər/
a pistol with a revolving cylinder (usually having six chambers for bullets)
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
scowledverbUS /skaʊld/
past form of “scowl” — frown with displeasure
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Although his face was in shadow there seemed something familiar about him.
A dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
From this reading Although his face was in shadow there seemed something familiar about him.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
a natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
the state of being asleep
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
smoothedadjectiveUS /smuːðd/
made smooth by ironing
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Although his face was in shadow there seemed something familiar about him.
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading With one accord they peered up the dim well of the staircase.
stifledadjectiveUS /ˈstaɪfəld/
held in check with difficulty
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
swollenadjectiveUS /ˈswoʊlən/
characteristic of false pride; having an exaggerated sense of self-importance
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading With one accord they peered up the dim well of the staircase.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Although his face was in shadow there seemed something familiar about him.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading With one accord they peered up the dim well of the staircase.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
the upper part of anything
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
tousledadjective
in disarray; extremely disorderly
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading With one accord they peered up the dim well of the staircase.
ventnounUS /vent/
a hole for the escape of gas or air
From this reading However, before anything had been said on either side, the belligerence faded from the young man's manner, his attitude altered, and he gave vent to a lazy chuckle, as with his free hand he fastened the top button of his sleeping attire and smoothed back his hair.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading With one accord they peered up the dim well of the staircase.
in the company of; together with
From this reading With one accord they peered up the dim well of the staircase.
yawnverbUS /jɔːn/
utter a yawn, as from lack of oxygen or when one is tired
From this reading He was clad in orange-striped silk pyjamas open at the neck, and even as he scowled darkly on the intruders below he stifled a capacious yawn.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading On the floor above, leaning over the rail, one hand clutching an army revolver, was a dishevelled young man, his hair tousled, his eyes swollen with sleep.
