used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading There had been a half-somnolent silence between us for some time now.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading The afternoon sun was blazing hot, and even the heavy brocaded curtains could not smother its discomfort.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The afternoon sun was blazing hot, and even the heavy brocaded curtains could not smother its discomfort.
eagerly desirous
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
past form of “arrive” — reach a destination; arrive by movement or progress
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
barrelnounUS /ˈbærəl/
a tube through which a bullet travels when a gun is fired
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading There had been a half-somnolent silence between us for some time now.
a mountain or tall hill
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading There had been a half-somnolent silence between us for some time now.
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
blazingadjectiveUS /ˈbleɪzɪŋ/
shining intensely
From this reading The afternoon sun was blazing hot, and even the heavy brocaded curtains could not smother its discomfort.
of a stringed instrument; sounded by stroking with a bow
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
BREESE
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
brocadedadjective
embellished with a raised pattern created by pressure or embroidery
From this reading The afternoon sun was blazing hot, and even the heavy brocaded curtains could not smother its discomfort.
plural of “chair” — a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The afternoon sun was blazing hot, and even the heavy brocaded curtains could not smother its discomfort.
curtainsnounUS /ˈkɜːrtənz/
plural of “curtain” — hanging cloth used as a blind (especially for a window)
From this reading The afternoon sun was blazing hot, and even the heavy brocaded curtains could not smother its discomfort.
discomfortnounUS /dɪˈskʌmfərt/
the state of being tense and feeling pain
From this reading The afternoon sun was blazing hot, and even the heavy brocaded curtains could not smother its discomfort.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
move gently or carefully
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
divisible by two
From this reading The afternoon sun was blazing hot, and even the heavy brocaded curtains could not smother its discomfort.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading There had been a half-somnolent silence between us for some time now.
set up or found
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading There had been a half-somnolent silence between us for some time now.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
half-somnolent
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There had been a half-somnolent silence between us for some time now.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading The afternoon sun was blazing hot, and even the heavy brocaded curtains could not smother its discomfort.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading The afternoon sun was blazing hot, and even the heavy brocaded curtains could not smother its discomfort.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
unusually great in size or amount or degree or especially extent or scope
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The afternoon sun was blazing hot, and even the heavy brocaded curtains could not smother its discomfort.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
a form of address for a man
From this reading MR.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The afternoon sun was blazing hot, and even the heavy brocaded curtains could not smother its discomfort.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
placidlyadverbUS /ˈplæsɪdli/
in a quiet and tranquil manner
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
RussiannounUS /ˈrʌʃən/
a native or inhabitant of Russia
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading There had been a half-somnolent silence between us for some time now.
Rhodesian statesman who declared independence of Zimbabwe from Great Britain (born in 1919)
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
the act of smoking tobacco or other substances
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
smotherverbUS /ˈsmʌðər/
envelop completely
From this reading The afternoon sun was blazing hot, and even the heavy brocaded curtains could not smother its discomfort.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading There had been a half-somnolent silence between us for some time now.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading The afternoon sun was blazing hot, and even the heavy brocaded curtains could not smother its discomfort.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There had been a half-somnolent silence between us for some time now.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading There had been a half-somnolent silence between us for some time now.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The Russian was at ease in one of the huge chairs, his big head bowed to his barrel chest, his sharp little eyes now half closed.
at the time that
From this reading BREESE IS ANXIOUS When Ben Smith arrived an hour later he found us smoking placidly in the drawing-room.
