used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading This was a rude shock for a man who prided himself on his accuracy of observation.
accuracynounUS /ˈækjərəsi/
the quality of being near to the true value
From this reading This was a rude shock for a man who prided himself on his accuracy of observation.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading As is not uncommon, the maid laughed, and went away without making any distinct answer.
AndersonnounUS /ˈændərsən/
United States author whose works were frequently autobiographical (1876-1941)
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
react verbally
From this reading As is not uncommon, the maid laughed, and went away without making any distinct answer.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading As is not uncommon, the maid laughed, and went away without making any distinct answer.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading There was his portmanteau on its trestle, exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As is not uncommon, the maid laughed, and went away without making any distinct answer.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading How it could possibly have escaped him the night before he did not pretend to understand; at any rate, there it was now.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading As is not uncommon, the maid laughed, and went away without making any distinct answer.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
a piece of furniture that provides a place to sleep
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading How it could possibly have escaped him the night before he did not pretend to understand; at any rate, there it was now.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading How it could possibly have escaped him the night before he did not pretend to understand; at any rate, there it was now.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading How it could possibly have escaped him the night before he did not pretend to understand; at any rate, there it was now.
distinctadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɪŋkt/
(often followed by “from”) not alike; different in nature or quality
From this reading As is not uncommon, the maid laughed, and went away without making any distinct answer.
having escaped, especially from confinement
From this reading How it could possibly have escaped him the night before he did not pretend to understand; at any rate, there it was now.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading There was his portmanteau on its trestle, exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading There was his portmanteau on its trestle, exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading This was a rude shock for a man who prided himself on his accuracy of observation.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There was his portmanteau on its trestle, exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading How it could possibly have escaped him the night before he did not pretend to understand; at any rate, there it was now.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading This was a rude shock for a man who prided himself on his accuracy of observation.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading There was his portmanteau on its trestle, exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How it could possibly have escaped him the night before he did not pretend to understand; at any rate, there it was now.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
intendingverbUS /ˌɪnˈtendɪŋ/
-ing form of “intend” — have in mind as a purpose
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
irritatedadjectiveUS /ˈɪrəteɪtəd/
aroused to impatience or anger
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As is not uncommon, the maid laughed, and went away without making any distinct answer.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading There was his portmanteau on its trestle, exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading There was his portmanteau on its trestle, exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived.
past form of “laugh” — produce laughter
From this reading As is not uncommon, the maid laughed, and went away without making any distinct answer.
a female domestic
From this reading As is not uncommon, the maid laughed, and went away without making any distinct answer.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading As is not uncommon, the maid laughed, and went away without making any distinct answer.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading This was a rude shock for a man who prided himself on his accuracy of observation.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading How it could possibly have escaped him the night before he did not pretend to understand; at any rate, there it was now.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading As is not uncommon, the maid laughed, and went away without making any distinct answer.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading How it could possibly have escaped him the night before he did not pretend to understand; at any rate, there it was now.
the act of making and recording a measurement
From this reading This was a rude shock for a man who prided himself on his accuracy of observation.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading There was his portmanteau on its trestle, exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived.
porternounUS /ˈpɔːrtər/
a person employed to carry luggage and supplies
From this reading There was his portmanteau on its trestle, exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived.
portmanteaunounUS /ˈpɔːrtmɑːntoʊ/
a new word formed by joining two others and combining their meanings
From this reading There was his portmanteau on its trestle, exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived.
by chance
From this reading How it could possibly have escaped him the night before he did not pretend to understand; at any rate, there it was now.
pretendverbUS /priˈtend/
make believe with the intent to deceive
From this reading How it could possibly have escaped him the night before he did not pretend to understand; at any rate, there it was now.
pridedverbUS /ˈpraɪdɪd/
past form of “pride” — be proud of
From this reading This was a rude shock for a man who prided himself on his accuracy of observation.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading There was his portmanteau on its trestle, exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived.
a magnitude or frequency relative to a time unit
From this reading How it could possibly have escaped him the night before he did not pretend to understand; at any rate, there it was now.
on the contrary
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
socially incorrect in behavior
From this reading This was a rude shock for a man who prided himself on his accuracy of observation.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading There was his portmanteau on its trestle, exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived.
the feeling of distress and disbelief that you have when something bad happens accidentally
From this reading This was a rude shock for a man who prided himself on his accuracy of observation.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
successive (without a break)
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading As is not uncommon, the maid laughed, and went away without making any distinct answer.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There was his portmanteau on its trestle, exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was a rude shock for a man who prided himself on his accuracy of observation.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
trestlenounUS /ˈtresəl/
a supporting tower used to support a bridge
From this reading There was his portmanteau on its trestle, exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived.
uncommonadjectiveUS /ənˈkɑːmən/
not common or ordinarily encountered; unusually great in amount or remarkable in character or kind
From this reading As is not uncommon, the maid laughed, and went away without making any distinct answer.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading How it could possibly have escaped him the night before he did not pretend to understand; at any rate, there it was now.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Anderson, rather irritated, sat up in bed, intending to call her back, but he remained sitting up, staring straight in front of him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading There was his portmanteau on its trestle, exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading As is not uncommon, the maid laughed, and went away without making any distinct answer.
at the time that
From this reading There was his portmanteau on its trestle, exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived.
in or at the place that
From this reading There was his portmanteau on its trestle, exactly where he had seen the porter put it when he first arrived.
which person or people
From this reading This was a rude shock for a man who prided himself on his accuracy of observation.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading As is not uncommon, the maid laughed, and went away without making any distinct answer.
