used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
in actual fact
From this reading As the door of Oakley manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
conforming to your own liking or feelings or nature
From this reading Edward Percy could be agreeable, for a reasonable length of time, to a very ugly woman.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As the door of Oakley manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
audiblyadverbUS /ˈɑːdəbli/
in an audible manner
From this reading As the door of Oakley manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.
a line of approach
From this reading As the door of Oakley manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Edward Percy could be agreeable, for a reasonable length of time, to a very ugly woman.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading As the door of Oakley manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
cherootnoun
a cigar with both ends cut flat
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading As the door of Oakley manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.
couchnounUS /kaʊtʃ/
an upholstered seat for more than one person
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Edward Percy could be agreeable, for a reasonable length of time, to a very ugly woman.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading As the door of Oakley manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading As the door of Oakley manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.
downyadjectiveUS /ˈdaʊni/
like down or as soft as down
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
King of England and Ireland in 1936; his marriage to Wallis Warfield Simpson created a constitutional crisis leading to his abdication (1894-1972)
From this reading Edward Percy could be agreeable, for a reasonable length of time, to a very ugly woman.
eleventhadjectiveUS /ɪˈlevənθ/
coming next after the tenth and just before the twelfth in position
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
enslaver
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
divisible by two
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading FACE TO FACE.
free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
faireradjectiveUS /ˈferər/
comparative of “fair” — free from favoritism or self-interest or bias or deception; conforming with established standards or rules
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
mat together and make felt-like
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
fragrantadjectiveUS /ˈfreɪɡrənt/
pleasant-smelling
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
destroyed or killed
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
good-night
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
gratificationnounUS /ˌɡrætəfəˈkeɪʃən/
state of being gratified or satisfied
From this reading As the door of Oakley manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
heavedverbUS /hiːvd/
past form of “heave” — utter a sound, as with obvious effort
From this reading As the door of Oakley manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading As the door of Oakley manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
husband-hunting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
injuredadjectiveUS /ˈɪndʒərd/
harmed
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
conformity or harmony
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
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 is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
the linear extent in space from one end to the other; the longest dimension of something that is fixed in place
From this reading Edward Percy could be agreeable, for a reasonable length of time, to a very ugly woman.
literallyadverbUS /ˈlɪtərəli/
in a literal sense
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
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 It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
manornounUS /ˈmænər/
the mansion of a lord or wealthy person
From this reading As the door of Oakley manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
a brief written record
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
OakleynounUS /ˈoʊkli/
United States sharpshooter who was featured in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show (1860-1926)
From this reading As the door of Oakley manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Edward Percy could be agreeable, for a reasonable length of time, to a very ugly woman.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
PercynounUS /ˈpɜːrsi/
United States writer whose novels explored human alienation (1916-1990)
From this reading Edward Percy could be agreeable, for a reasonable length of time, to a very ugly woman.
pretexts
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
with speed
From this reading As the door of Oakley manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.
showing reason or sound judgment
From this reading Edward Percy could be agreeable, for a reasonable length of time, to a very ugly woman.
resoluteadjectiveUS /ˈrezəluːt/
firm in purpose or belief; characterized by firmness and determination
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading As the door of Oakley manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.
the immaterial part of a person; the actuating cause of an individual life
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
spinsternounUS /ˈspɪnstər/
an elderly unmarried woman
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
strodeverbUS /stroʊd/
inflected form of “stride” — walk with long steps
From this reading As the door of Oakley manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.
surprisingadjectiveUS /sərˈpraɪzɪŋ/
causing surprise or wonder or amazement
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading Edward Percy could be agreeable, for a reasonable length of time, to a very ugly woman.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading FACE TO FACE.
displeasing to the senses
From this reading Edward Percy could be agreeable, for a reasonable length of time, to a very ugly woman.
precisely as stated
From this reading Edward Percy could be agreeable, for a reasonable length of time, to a very ugly woman.
an unfortunate person who suffers from some adverse circumstance
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
at the time that
From this reading But even he felt himself an injured man when, at a late hour, he said good-night for the eleventh time to his fair enslaver--literally an enslaver, he thought.
windingadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪndɪŋ/
marked by repeated turns and bends
From this reading As the door of Oakley manor actually and audibly closed behind him, he heaved a sigh of gratification, and strode rapidly down the winding avenue.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading Edward Percy could be agreeable, for a reasonable length of time, to a very ugly woman.
yearningnounUS /ˈjɜːrnɪŋ/
prolonged unfulfilled desire or need
From this reading It is surprising to note how many pretexts a resolute, husband-hunting spinster can find for keeping a victim at her side, long after his soul has left her, and gone forth with yearning for a downy couch, a fragrant cheroot, or a fairer face.
