used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
alighting
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
applicationnounUS /ˌæpləˈkeɪʃən/
the act of bringing something to bear; using it for a particular purpose
From this reading Thither he sauntered, and carelessly placing his foot on the low stool, he waited the application of the polisher’s Art.
archedadjectiveUS /ɑːrtʃt/
constructed with or in the form of an arch or arches
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Casting his eyes around, at a little distance he perceived the stand of a youthful bootblack.
Artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading Thither he sauntered, and carelessly placing his foot on the low stool, he waited the application of the polisher’s Art.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Casting his eyes around, at a little distance he perceived the stand of a youthful bootblack.
bootblacknoun
a person who polishes shoes and boots
From this reading Casting his eyes around, at a little distance he perceived the stand of a youthful bootblack.
plural of “boot” — footwear that covers the whole foot and lower leg
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
broughamnounUS /ˈbruːɡəm/
light carriage; pulled by a single horse
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
carelesslyadverbUS /ˈkerləsli/
without care or concern
From this reading Thither he sauntered, and carelessly placing his foot on the low stool, he waited the application of the polisher’s Art.
CastingnounUS /ˈkæstɪŋ/
object formed by a mold
From this reading Casting his eyes around, at a little distance he perceived the stand of a youthful bootblack.
conglomerated
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
discnounUS /dɪsk/
sound recording consisting of a disk with a continuous groove; used to reproduce music by rotating while a phonograph needle tracks in the groove
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading Casting his eyes around, at a little distance he perceived the stand of a youthful bootblack.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
King of England and Ireland in 1936; his marriage to Wallis Warfield Simpson created a constitutional crisis leading to his abdication (1894-1972)
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Casting his eyes around, at a little distance he perceived the stand of a youthful bootblack.
fastidiousadjectiveUS /fæˈstɪdiəs/
giving careful attention to detail; hard to please; excessively concerned with cleanliness
From this reading Sir Edward was fastidious.
faultlessadjective
without fault or error
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
glitternounUS /ˈɡlɪtər/
the quality of shining with a bright reflected light
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
harmoniousadjectiveUS /hɑːrˈmoʊniəs/
musically pleasing
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
greater than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
IdealadjectiveUS /aɪˈdiːl/
conforming to an ultimate standard of perfection or excellence; embodying an ideal
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
instepnoun
the arch of the foot
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Casting his eyes around, at a little distance he perceived the stand of a youthful bootblack.
less than normal in degree or intensity or amount
From this reading Thither he sauntered, and carelessly placing his foot on the low stool, he waited the application of the polisher’s Art.
marredadjectiveUS /mɑːrd/
blemished by injury or rough wear
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
the middle of the day
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
detected by instinct or inference rather than by recognized perceptual cues
From this reading Casting his eyes around, at a little distance he perceived the stand of a youthful bootblack.
placingverbUS /ˈpleɪsɪŋ/
-ing form of “place” — put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading Thither he sauntered, and carelessly placing his foot on the low stool, he waited the application of the polisher’s Art.
polisher's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Thither he sauntered, and carelessly placing his foot on the low stool, he waited the application of the polisher’s Art.
proceedingnounUS /prəˈsiːdɪŋ/
(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
Promptings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
sauntered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Thither he sauntered, and carelessly placing his foot on the low stool, he waited the application of the polisher’s Art.
term of address for a man
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
the state of being covered with unclean things
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
be standing; be upright
From this reading Casting his eyes around, at a little distance he perceived the stand of a youthful bootblack.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
stoolnounUS /stuːl/
a simple seat without a back or arms
From this reading Thither he sauntered, and carelessly placing his foot on the low stool, he waited the application of the polisher’s Art.
StrandnounUS /strænd/
a pattern forming a unity within a larger structural whole
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
To perceive flavor through the mouth.
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
ThitheradverbUS /ˈðɪθɜːr/
an old word meaning “to that place”
From this reading Thither he sauntered, and carelessly placing his foot on the low stool, he waited the application of the polisher’s Art.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
vehiclenounUS /ˈviːhɪkəl/
a conveyance that transports people or objects
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading Thither he sauntered, and carelessly placing his foot on the low stool, he waited the application of the polisher’s Art.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading _The Promptings of the Ideal._ It was noon, Sir Edward had stepped from his brougham and was proceeding on foot down the Strand.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was dressed with his usual faultless taste, but in alighting from his vehicle his foot had slipped, and a small round disc of conglomerated soil, which instantly appeared on his high arched instep, marred the harmonious glitter of his boots.
youthfuladjectiveUS /ˈjuːθfəl/
suggestive of youth; vigorous and fresh
From this reading Casting his eyes around, at a little distance he perceived the stand of a youthful bootblack.
