used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
farther along in physical or mental development
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
the hair growing on the lower part of a man's face
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
benignlyadverbUS /bəˈnaɪnli/
in a benign manner
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He trod slowly but firmly, putting his feet down as though prepared to prove his right to the ground he trod on.
clothing in general
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
coloredadjectiveUS /ˈkʌlərd/
having color or a certain color; sometimes used in combination
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
conservatorynounUS /kənˈsɜːrvətɔːri/
the faculty and students of a school specializing in one of the fine arts
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
CutternounUS /ˈkʌtər/
someone who cuts or carves stone
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading He trod slowly but firmly, putting his feet down as though prepared to prove his right to the ground he trod on.
dressed or clothed especially in fine attire; often used in combination
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
apart from; not including
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading He trod slowly but firmly, putting his feet down as though prepared to prove his right to the ground he trod on.
with resolute determination
From this reading He trod slowly but firmly, putting his feet down as though prepared to prove his right to the ground he trod on.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
the solid part of the earth's surface
From this reading He trod slowly but firmly, putting his feet down as though prepared to prove his right to the ground he trod on.
growthnounUS /ɡroʊθ/
(biology) the process of an individual organism growing organically; a purely biological unfolding of events involved in an organism changing gradually from a simple to a more complex level
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
and nothing more
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
luxuriantadjectiveUS /ləɡˈʒɜːriənt/
marked by complexity and richness of detail
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
concerned with worldly rather than spiritual interests
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
not any; not one
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
a midwestern state in north central United States in the Great Lakes region
From this reading "Oh!
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He trod slowly but firmly, putting his feet down as though prepared to prove his right to the ground he trod on.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
plaidnounUS /plæd/
a cloth having a crisscross design
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
plantsnounUS /plænts/
plural of “plant” — buildings for carrying on industrial labor
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
plural of “pocket” — a small pouch inside a garment for carrying small articles
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
made ready or fit or suitable beforehand
From this reading He trod slowly but firmly, putting his feet down as though prepared to prove his right to the ground he trod on.
professorialadjectiveUS /ˌproʊfəˈsɔːriəl/
relating to or characteristic of professors
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
be shown or be found to be
From this reading He trod slowly but firmly, putting his feet down as though prepared to prove his right to the ground he trod on.
hitting a golf ball that is on the green using a putter
From this reading He trod slowly but firmly, putting his feet down as though prepared to prove his right to the ground he trod on.
precisely, exactly
From this reading He trod slowly but firmly, putting his feet down as though prepared to prove his right to the ground he trod on.
selectedadjectiveUS /səˈlektɪd/
chosen in preference to another
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
shooting-coat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading He trod slowly but firmly, putting his feet down as though prepared to prove his right to the ground he trod on.
spectaclesnounUS /ˈspektəkəlz/
(plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
supremelyadverbUS /suːˈpriːməli/
to the maximum degree
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
tienounUS /taɪ/
neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He trod slowly but firmly, putting his feet down as though prepared to prove his right to the ground he trod on.
trodverbUS /trɑːd/
inflected form of “tread” — put down or press the foot, place the foot
From this reading He trod slowly but firmly, putting his feet down as though prepared to prove his right to the ground he trod on.
not conscious; lacking awareness and the capacity for sensory perception as if asleep or dead
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
unostentatiousadjective
not ostentatious
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
one of a series of ridges that moves across the surface of a liquid (especially across a large body of water)
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading There was nothing professorial about his appearance, except his great spectacles, through which he gazed benignly at the luxuriant growth of plants, as he advanced, his hands in the pockets of his plaid shooting-coat.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Cutter entered with a supremely unconscious air, as though he believed there was no one in the conservatory.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading He was dressed as any other man might be in the country; he had selected an unostentatious plaid for the material of his clothes, and he wore a colored tie, which just showed beneath the wave of his thick beard.
