used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
absorptionnounUS /əbˈzɔːrpʃən/
(chemistry) a process in which one substance permeates another; a fluid permeates or is dissolved by a liquid or solid
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
anew
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
equally
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
ariseverbUS /ərˈaɪz/
come into existence; take on form or shape
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
bad-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
beneficentadjectiveUS /ˌbenəˈfɪʃənt/
doing or producing good
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
BrandtnounUS /brænt/
German statesman who as chancellor of West Germany worked to reduce tensions with eastern Europe (1913-1992)
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
inflected form of “bring” — take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading However, it was Charles Pixley who brought Margaret Brandt to that dinner, and Graeme sat on the other side of her there.
(used of soaps or cleaning agents) having a substance (an abrasive or filler) added to increase effectiveness
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
castingnounUS /ˈkæstɪŋ/
object formed by a mold
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
King of France from 1560 to 1574 whose reign was dominated by his mother Catherine de Medicis (1550-1574)
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
chatteringnounUS /ˈtʃætərɪŋ/
the rapid series of noises made by the parts of a machine
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
a friend who is frequently in the company of another
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
condescensionnounUS /ˌkɑːndəˈsenʃən/
the trait of displaying arrogance by patronizing those considered inferior
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading However, it was Charles Pixley who brought Margaret Brandt to that dinner, and Graeme sat on the other side of her there.
dribbledverbUS /ˈdrɪbəld/
past form of “dribble” — run or flow slowly, as in drops or in an unsteady stream
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
glibnessnoun
a kind of fluent easy superficiality
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
Graeme
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading However, it was Charles Pixley who brought Margaret Brandt to that dinner, and Graeme sat on the other side of her there.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading However, it was Charles Pixley who brought Margaret Brandt to that dinner, and Graeme sat on the other side of her there.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
inanities
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
(often followed by “to”) having a preference, disposition, or tendency
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
intelligentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtelədʒənt/
having the capacity for thought and reason especially to a high degree
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
full of life and energy
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
Margaret
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading However, it was Charles Pixley who brought Margaret Brandt to that dinner, and Graeme sat on the other side of her there.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
mouldsnounUS /moʊldz/
plural of “mould” — loose soil rich in organic matter
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
observantadjectiveUS /əbˈzɜːrvənt/
paying close attention especially to details
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading However, it was Charles Pixley who brought Margaret Brandt to that dinner, and Graeme sat on the other side of her there.
on one occasion
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
plural of “one” — the smallest whole number or a numeral representing this number
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading However, it was Charles Pixley who brought Margaret Brandt to that dinner, and Graeme sat on the other side of her there.
over-fed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
parrotnounUS /ˈperət/
usually brightly colored zygodactyl tropical birds with short hooked beaks and the ability to mimic sounds
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
Pixley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading However, it was Charles Pixley who brought Margaret Brandt to that dinner, and Graeme sat on the other side of her there.
self-complacencynoun
the feeling you have when you are satisfied with yourself
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
self-indulgentadjective
indulgent of your own appetites and desires
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading However, it was Charles Pixley who brought Margaret Brandt to that dinner, and Graeme sat on the other side of her there.
marked by absence of sound
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
smartadjectiveUS /smɑːrt/
showing mental alertness and calculation and resourcefulness
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
to a small degree or extent
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
superciliousnessnoun
the trait of displaying arrogance by patronizing those considered inferior
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
superioritynounUS /ˌsuːpɪriˈɔːrɪti/
the quality of being superior
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
in or at that place or location
From this reading However, it was Charles Pixley who brought Margaret Brandt to that dinner, and Graeme sat on the other side of her there.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He struck Graeme as not bad-looking, in a somewhat over-fed and self-indulgent fashion, and inclined to superciliousness and self-complacency, if not to actual superiority and condescension.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading It occurred to him afterwards that this might arise from his absorption in his companion, for he turned again at once to Miss Brandt and began chattering like a lively and intelligent parrot.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Graeme was one of the silent and observant ones, and he could not but think how beneficent Nature is in casting us in many moulds.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
used to ask for information about something
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
which person or people
From this reading However, it was Charles Pixley who brought Margaret Brandt to that dinner, and Graeme sat on the other side of her there.
in the company of; together with
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
everything that exists anywhere
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If we were all built alike, he thought, and all dribbled smart inanities, and nothing but inanities, with the glibness of a Charles Pixley, what a world it would be!
