used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
ACQUIREverbUS /əˈkwaɪər/
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
the form of “be” used with “I”
From this reading “But how glad I am!” the woman rattled on, at the top of her voice.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Then, over her shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the sardonic smile on the ugly face of the waiter as he withdrew and closed the door.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading “But how glad I am!” the woman rattled on, at the top of her voice.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “But how glad I am!” the woman rattled on, at the top of her voice.
caressnounUS /kərˈes/
a gentle affectionate stroking (or something resembling it)
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Then, over her shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the sardonic smile on the ugly face of the waiter as he withdrew and closed the door.
either side of the face below the eyes
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading Then, over her shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the sardonic smile on the ugly face of the waiter as he withdrew and closed the door.
collarnounUS /ˈkɑːlər/
a band that fits around the neck and is usually folded over
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
intentionally conceived
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading I am covered with dirt!
cuddlingnounUS /ˈkʌdlɪŋ/
affectionate play (or foreplay without contact with the genital organs)
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
dirtnounUS /dɜːrt/
the part of the earth's surface consisting of humus and disintegrated rock
From this reading I am covered with dirt!
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Then, over her shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the sardonic smile on the ugly face of the waiter as he withdrew and closed the door.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
excitedlyadverbUS /ɪkˈsaɪtədli/
with excitement; in an excited manner
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
opinion or judgment
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Then, over her shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the sardonic smile on the ugly face of the waiter as he withdrew and closed the door.
grant freedom to; free from confinement
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
showing or causing joy and pleasure; especially made happy
From this reading “But how glad I am!” the woman rattled on, at the top of her voice.
a quick look
From this reading Then, over her shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the sardonic smile on the ugly face of the waiter as he withdrew and closed the door.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then, over her shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the sardonic smile on the ugly face of the waiter as he withdrew and closed the door.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Then, over her shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the sardonic smile on the ugly face of the waiter as he withdrew and closed the door.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “But how glad I am!” the woman rattled on, at the top of her voice.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “But how glad I am!” the woman rattled on, at the top of her voice.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
undertake a journey or trip
From this reading “And what a journey!
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Then, over her shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the sardonic smile on the ugly face of the waiter as he withdrew and closed the door.
pattingverbUS /ˈpætɪŋ/
inflected form of “pat” — pat or squeeze fondly or playfully, especially under the chin
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
petrifiedverbUS /ˈpetrəfaɪd/
inflected form of “petrify” — cause to become stonelike or stiff or dazed and stunned from fright
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
rattledadjectiveUS /ˈrætəld/
thrown into a state of agitated confusion; (“rattled” is an informal term)
From this reading “But how glad I am!” the woman rattled on, at the top of her voice.
sardonicadjectiveUS /sɑːrˈdɑːnɪk/
disdainfully or ironically humorous; scornful and mocking
From this reading Then, over her shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the sardonic smile on the ugly face of the waiter as he withdrew and closed the door.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading Then, over her shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the sardonic smile on the ugly face of the waiter as he withdrew and closed the door.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading Then, over her shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the sardonic smile on the ugly face of the waiter as he withdrew and closed the door.
a facial expression characterized by turning up the corners of the mouth; usually shows pleasure or amusement
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
having a supporting base
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
STEWARTnounUS /ˈstuːərt/
United States film actor who portrayed incorruptible but modest heros (1908-1997)
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then, over her shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the sardonic smile on the ugly face of the waiter as he withdrew and closed the door.
thrillingadjectiveUS /ˈθrɪlɪŋ/
causing a surge of emotion or excitement
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
the upper part of anything
From this reading “But how glad I am!” the woman rattled on, at the top of her voice.
displeasing to the senses
From this reading Then, over her shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the sardonic smile on the ugly face of the waiter as he withdrew and closed the door.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading “But how glad I am!” the woman rattled on, at the top of her voice.
the narrowing of the body between the ribs and hips
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
waiternounUS /ˈweɪtər/
a person whose occupation is to serve at table (as in a restaurant)
From this reading Then, over her shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the sardonic smile on the ugly face of the waiter as he withdrew and closed the door.
warmthnounUS /wɔːrmθ/
the sensation caused by heat energy
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “And what a journey!
a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
in the company of; together with
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
withdrewverbUS /wɪθˈdruː/
inflected form of “withdraw” — pull back or move away or backward
From this reading Then, over her shoulder, he caught a glimpse of the sardonic smile on the ugly face of the waiter as he withdrew and closed the door.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading “But how glad I am!” the woman rattled on, at the top of her voice.
woman'snounUS /ˈwʊmənz/
possessive form of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading ONE WAY TO ACQUIRE A WIFE STEWART, standing petrified, collar in hand, thrilling with the warmth of that caress, was conscious that his free arm had dropped about the woman’s waist, and that she was cuddling to him, patting him excitedly on the cheek and smiling up into his eyes.
