used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic
From this reading He took it up carelessly, opened it, and bent over it with a start of anxiety.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading He took it up carelessly, opened it, and bent over it with a start of anxiety.
brother-in-lawnounUS /ˈbrʌðərɪnlɔː/
a brother by marriage
From this reading It was from his brother-in-law.
carelesslyadverbUS /ˈkerləsli/
without care or concern
From this reading He took it up carelessly, opened it, and bent over it with a start of anxiety.
DecembernounUS /dɪˈsembər/
the last (12th) month of the year
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
Elvira
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
brought about or set up or accepted; especially long established
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
set up or found
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
frostyadjectiveUS /ˈfrɔːsti/
devoid of warmth and cordiality; expressive of unfriendliness or disdain
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading '_Marie is very ill.
having much knowledge or education
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading '_Marie is very ill.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He took it up carelessly, opened it, and bent over it with a start of anxiety.
KendalnounUS /ˈkendəl/
a green dye, often used to color cloth, which is obtained from the woad plant
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
the literary culture
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
lodgingsnounUS /ˈlɑːdʒɪŋz/
temporary living quarters
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
man-servant
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
Marie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading '_Marie is very ill.
one of the twelve divisions of the calendar year
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
assembled for use; especially by being attached to a support
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading He took it up carelessly, opened it, and bent over it with a start of anxiety.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading He took it up carelessly, opened it, and bent over it with a start of anxiety.
performancenounUS /pərˈfɔːrməns/
a dramatic or musical entertainment
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
permanentadjectiveUS /ˈpɜːrmənənt/
continuing or enduring without marked change in status or condition or place
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading He took it up carelessly, opened it, and bent over it with a start of anxiety.
SurreynounUS /ˈsɜːri/
a county in southeastern England on the Thames
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
telegramnounUS /ˈteləɡræm/
a message transmitted by telegraph
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading He took it up carelessly, opened it, and bent over it with a start of anxiety.
the upper part of anything
From this reading He mounted to his room, found his letters lying ready for him, and on the top of them a telegram, which, as his man-servant informed him, had arrived about an hour before.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He took it up carelessly, opened it, and bent over it with a start of anxiety.
precisely as stated
From this reading '_Marie is very ill.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was from his brother-in-law.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading A month after the first performance of _Elvira_ Kendal returned to town on a frosty December afternoon from the Surrey lodgings on which he had now established a permanent hold.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He took it up carelessly, opened it, and bent over it with a start of anxiety.
