used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The expression of the round, tear-stained face she turned toward Leslie was a mixture of shame, defiance and appeal.
apologeticallyadverbUS /əˌpɑːləˈdʒetɪkliː/
in an apologetic manner
From this reading “I know I’ve no business to be here,” she quavered half apologetically.
take a court case to a higher court for review
From this reading The expression of the round, tear-stained face she turned toward Leslie was a mixture of shame, defiance and appeal.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading “I know I’ve no business to be here,” she quavered half apologetically.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading “I know I’ve no business to be here,” she quavered half apologetically.
CLIMBERnounUS /ˈklaɪmər/
a vine or climbing plant that readily grows up a support or over other plants
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
curlyadjectiveUS /ˈkɜːrli/
(of hair) having curls or waves
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
defiancenounUS /dɪˈfaɪəns/
intentionally contemptuous behavior or attitude
From this reading The expression of the round, tear-stained face she turned toward Leslie was a mixture of shame, defiance and appeal.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Steadying her voice, she went on with: “I knocked on your door.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading The expression of the round, tear-stained face she turned toward Leslie was a mixture of shame, defiance and appeal.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The expression of the round, tear-stained face she turned toward Leslie was a mixture of shame, defiance and appeal.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading “I know I’ve no business to be here,” she quavered half apologetically.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading “I know I’ve no business to be here,” she quavered half apologetically.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “I know I’ve no business to be here,” she quavered half apologetically.
I've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “I know I’ve no business to be here,” she quavered half apologetically.
inquirynounUS /ˌɪnˈkwaɪriː/
a search for knowledge
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
intrudernounUS /ˌɪnˈtruːdər/
someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another without permission
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
past form of “knock” — deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading Steadying her voice, she went on with: “I knocked on your door.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading “I know I’ve no business to be here,” she quavered half apologetically.
Leslie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The expression of the round, tear-stained face she turned toward Leslie was a mixture of shame, defiance and appeal.
Leslie's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading “I mean like this.”
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading “I mean like this.”
mixturenounUS /ˈmɪkstʃər/
(chemistry) a substance consisting of two or more substances mixed together (not in fixed proportions and not with chemical bonding)
From this reading The expression of the round, tear-stained face she turned toward Leslie was a mixture of shame, defiance and appeal.
not any; not one
From this reading “I know I’ve no business to be here,” she quavered half apologetically.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Steadying her voice, she went on with: “I knocked on your door.
quaveredverbUS /ˈkweɪvərd/
past form of “quaver” — give off unsteady sounds, alternating in amplitude or frequency
From this reading “I know I’ve no business to be here,” she quavered half apologetically.
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading The expression of the round, tear-stained face she turned toward Leslie was a mixture of shame, defiance and appeal.
a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt
From this reading The expression of the round, tear-stained face she turned toward Leslie was a mixture of shame, defiance and appeal.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The expression of the round, tear-stained face she turned toward Leslie was a mixture of shame, defiance and appeal.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
sobbingnounUS /ˈsɑːbɪŋ/
convulsive gasp made while weeping
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
relating to human society and its members
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
Steadyingadjective
causing to become steady
From this reading Steadying her voice, she went on with: “I knocked on your door.
tear-stained
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The expression of the round, tear-stained face she turned toward Leslie was a mixture of shame, defiance and appeal.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A LITTLE SOCIAL CLIMBER The black curly head of the sobbing intruder slowly raised itself from her arms at Leslie’s inquiry.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “I mean like this.”
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “I know I’ve no business to be here,” she quavered half apologetically.
towardprepositionUS /təˈwɔːrd/
in the direction of
From this reading The expression of the round, tear-stained face she turned toward Leslie was a mixture of shame, defiance and appeal.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading The expression of the round, tear-stained face she turned toward Leslie was a mixture of shame, defiance and appeal.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Steadying her voice, she went on with: “I knocked on your door.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The expression of the round, tear-stained face she turned toward Leslie was a mixture of shame, defiance and appeal.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading Steadying her voice, she went on with: “I knocked on your door.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Steadying her voice, she went on with: “I knocked on your door.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading Steadying her voice, she went on with: “I knocked on your door.
