used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading That made a draught and someone wanted the door closed.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading *** There was something about Ermangarde's smile that glinted.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading That made a draught and someone wanted the door closed.
basementnounUS /ˈbeɪsmənt/
the lowermost portion of a structure partly or wholly below ground level; often used for storage
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading That made a draught and someone wanted the door closed.
cornersnounUS /ˈkɔːrnərz/
plural of “corner” — a place off to the side of an area
From this reading She did it with her lips closed and with the merest lifting of their corners.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading She did it with her lips closed and with the merest lifting of their corners.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading That made a draught and someone wanted the door closed.
draughtnounUS /dræft/
a serving of drink (usually alcoholic) drawn from a keg
From this reading That made a draught and someone wanted the door closed.
Ermangarde's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading *** There was something about Ermangarde's smile that glinted.
glinted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading *** There was something about Ermangarde's smile that glinted.
gropingadjectiveUS /ˈɡroʊpɪŋ/
acting with uncertainty or hesitance or lack of confidence
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
(of animals) fully developed
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She did it with her lips closed and with the merest lifting of their corners.
huggingnounUS /ˈhʌɡɪŋ/
affectionate play (or foreplay without contact with the genital organs)
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It swung to with a little nick.
a room equipped for preparing meals
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
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 It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
liftingverbUS /ˈlɪftɪŋ/
-ing form of “lift” — raise from a lower to a higher position
From this reading She did it with her lips closed and with the merest lifting of their corners.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading She did it with her lips closed and with the merest lifting of their corners.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading It swung to with a little nick.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading That made a draught and someone wanted the door closed.
merestadjectiveUS /ˈmerəst/
superlative of “mere” — being nothing more than specified
From this reading She did it with her lips closed and with the merest lifting of their corners.
nickverbUS /nɪk/
cut slightly, with a razor
From this reading It swung to with a little nick.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She did it with her lips closed and with the merest lifting of their corners.
preposterousadjectiveUS /prɪˈpɑːstərəs/
so unreasonable as to invite derision
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
punch-bowls
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She did it with her lips closed and with the merest lifting of their corners.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading *** There was something about Ermangarde's smile that glinted.
a person, without saying who
From this reading That made a draught and someone wanted the door closed.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading *** There was something about Ermangarde's smile that glinted.
having a supporting base
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
inflected form of “swing” — move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading It swung to with a little nick.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That made a draught and someone wanted the door closed.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading That made a draught and someone wanted the door closed.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading She did it with her lips closed and with the merest lifting of their corners.
in or at that place or location
From this reading *** There was something about Ermangarde's smile that glinted.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It swung to with a little nick.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
precisely as stated
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
desired or wished for or sought
From this reading That made a draught and someone wanted the door closed.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading *** There was something about Ermangarde's smile that glinted.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It swung to with a little nick.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading It left you standing in the hall, which had grown very dark, hugging those preposterous punch-bowls and groping your way toward the basement kitchen.
