used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading In the instant she made a mental review of her proceedings and satisfied herself that she had been guilty of no professional blunder.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the instant she made a mental review of her proceedings and satisfied herself that she had been guilty of no professional blunder.
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading The inopportune appearance of Mr. Cragg must be attributed to a blind chance--to fate.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading So the first wave of humiliation that swept over her receded as she gathered her wits to combat this unexpected situation.
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading "OLD SWALLOWTAIL" Josie was so astonished that she still bent over the lock, motionless, saw in hand.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Mr. Cragg stood by the table looking at her.
attributedverbUS /əˈtrɪbjətɪd/
past form of “attribute” — attribute or credit to
From this reading The inopportune appearance of Mr. Cragg must be attributed to a blind chance--to fate.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The inopportune appearance of Mr. Cragg must be attributed to a blind chance--to fate.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading In the instant she made a mental review of her proceedings and satisfied herself that she had been guilty of no professional blunder.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading "OLD SWALLOWTAIL" Josie was so astonished that she still bent over the lock, motionless, saw in hand.
people who have severe visual impairments, considered as a group
From this reading The inopportune appearance of Mr. Cragg must be attributed to a blind chance--to fate.
blunderverbUS /ˈblʌndər/
commit a faux pas or a fault or make a serious mistake
From this reading In the instant she made a mental review of her proceedings and satisfied herself that she had been guilty of no professional blunder.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Mr. Cragg stood by the table looking at her.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading The inopportune appearance of Mr. Cragg must be attributed to a blind chance--to fate.
combatnounUS /ˈkɑːmbæt/
an engagement fought between two military forces
From this reading So the first wave of humiliation that swept over her receded as she gathered her wits to combat this unexpected situation.
Cragg
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The inopportune appearance of Mr. Cragg must be attributed to a blind chance--to fate.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading The inopportune appearance of Mr. Cragg must be attributed to a blind chance--to fate.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading So the first wave of humiliation that swept over her receded as she gathered her wits to combat this unexpected situation.
brought together in one place
From this reading So the first wave of humiliation that swept over her receded as she gathered her wits to combat this unexpected situation.
responsible for or chargeable with a reprehensible act
From this reading In the instant she made a mental review of her proceedings and satisfied herself that she had been guilty of no professional blunder.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In the instant she made a mental review of her proceedings and satisfied herself that she had been guilty of no professional blunder.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading "OLD SWALLOWTAIL" Josie was so astonished that she still bent over the lock, motionless, saw in hand.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading In the instant she made a mental review of her proceedings and satisfied herself that she had been guilty of no professional blunder.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading In the instant she made a mental review of her proceedings and satisfied herself that she had been guilty of no professional blunder.
humiliationnounUS /hjuːˌmɪliˈeɪʃən/
state of disgrace or loss of self-respect
From this reading So the first wave of humiliation that swept over her receded as she gathered her wits to combat this unexpected situation.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "OLD SWALLOWTAIL" Josie was so astonished that she still bent over the lock, motionless, saw in hand.
inopportuneadjectiveUS /ˌɪnɑːpərˈtuːn/
not opportune
From this reading The inopportune appearance of Mr. Cragg must be attributed to a blind chance--to fate.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading In the instant she made a mental review of her proceedings and satisfied herself that she had been guilty of no professional blunder.
Josie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "OLD SWALLOWTAIL" Josie was so astonished that she still bent over the lock, motionless, saw in hand.
fasten with a lock
From this reading "OLD SWALLOWTAIL" Josie was so astonished that she still bent over the lock, motionless, saw in hand.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Mr. Cragg stood by the table looking at her.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading In the instant she made a mental review of her proceedings and satisfied herself that she had been guilty of no professional blunder.
involving the mind or an intellectual process
From this reading In the instant she made a mental review of her proceedings and satisfied herself that she had been guilty of no professional blunder.
not in physical motion
From this reading "OLD SWALLOWTAIL" Josie was so astonished that she still bent over the lock, motionless, saw in hand.
a form of address for a man
From this reading The inopportune appearance of Mr. Cragg must be attributed to a blind chance--to fate.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading The inopportune appearance of Mr. Cragg must be attributed to a blind chance--to fate.
not any; not one
From this reading In the instant she made a mental review of her proceedings and satisfied herself that she had been guilty of no professional blunder.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the instant she made a mental review of her proceedings and satisfied herself that she had been guilty of no professional blunder.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading "OLD SWALLOWTAIL" Josie was so astonished that she still bent over the lock, motionless, saw in hand.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading "OLD SWALLOWTAIL" Josie was so astonished that she still bent over the lock, motionless, saw in hand.
proceedingsnounUS /proʊˈsiːdɪŋz/
(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked
From this reading In the instant she made a mental review of her proceedings and satisfied herself that she had been guilty of no professional blunder.
professionaladjectiveUS /prəˈfeʃənəl/
engaged in a profession or engaging in as a profession or means of livelihood
From this reading In the instant she made a mental review of her proceedings and satisfied herself that she had been guilty of no professional blunder.
recededverbUS /rəˈsiːdɪd/
past form of “recede” — pull back or move away or backward
From this reading So the first wave of humiliation that swept over her receded as she gathered her wits to combat this unexpected situation.
reviewnounUS /ˌriːˈvjuː/
a new appraisal or evaluation
From this reading In the instant she made a mental review of her proceedings and satisfied herself that she had been guilty of no professional blunder.
filled with satisfaction
From this reading In the instant she made a mental review of her proceedings and satisfied herself that she had been guilty of no professional blunder.
cut with a saw
From this reading "OLD SWALLOWTAIL" Josie was so astonished that she still bent over the lock, motionless, saw in hand.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "OLD SWALLOWTAIL" Josie was so astonished that she still bent over the lock, motionless, saw in hand.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading So the first wave of humiliation that swept over her receded as she gathered her wits to combat this unexpected situation.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading "OLD SWALLOWTAIL" Josie was so astonished that she still bent over the lock, motionless, saw in hand.
not in physical motion
From this reading "OLD SWALLOWTAIL" Josie was so astonished that she still bent over the lock, motionless, saw in hand.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Mr. Cragg stood by the table looking at her.
SWALLOWTAILnoun
a man's full-dress jacket with two long tapering tails at the back
From this reading "OLD SWALLOWTAIL" Josie was so astonished that she still bent over the lock, motionless, saw in hand.
possessing sweep
From this reading So the first wave of humiliation that swept over her receded as she gathered her wits to combat this unexpected situation.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Mr. Cragg stood by the table looking at her.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading "OLD SWALLOWTAIL" Josie was so astonished that she still bent over the lock, motionless, saw in hand.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading "OLD SWALLOWTAIL" Josie was so astonished that she still bent over the lock, motionless, saw in hand.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading So the first wave of humiliation that swept over her receded as she gathered her wits to combat this unexpected situation.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The inopportune appearance of Mr. Cragg must be attributed to a blind chance--to fate.
not expected or anticipated
From this reading So the first wave of humiliation that swept over her receded as she gathered her wits to combat this unexpected situation.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "OLD SWALLOWTAIL" Josie was so astonished that she still bent over the lock, motionless, saw in hand.
one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading So the first wave of humiliation that swept over her receded as she gathered her wits to combat this unexpected situation.
witsnounUS /wɪts/
the basic human power of intelligent thought and perception
From this reading So the first wave of humiliation that swept over her receded as she gathered her wits to combat this unexpected situation.
