used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
Ah
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Ah!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading “You have had a communication with reference to the subject of this letter,” said Mr. Stamford, placing it before him.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading Now you mention it, I certainly have, and I congratulate you heartily upon it.
communicationnounUS /kəˌmjuːnəˈkeɪʃən/
the activity of communicating; the activity of conveying information
From this reading “You have had a communication with reference to the subject of this letter,” said Mr. Stamford, placing it before him.
confidencesnounUS /ˈkɑːnfədənsɪz/
plural of “confidence” — freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
congratulateverbUS /kənˈɡrætʃəleɪt/
say something to someone that expresses praise
From this reading Now you mention it, I certainly have, and I congratulate you heartily upon it.
command with authority
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
eminentadjectiveUS /ˈemənənt/
standing above others in quality or position
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
a social unit living together
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
first-classadjectiveUS /ˌfɜːrstˈklæs/
very good; of the highest quality
From this reading Wallingford, Richards and Stowe—first-class men in the profession.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “You have had a communication with reference to the subject of this letter,” said Mr. Stamford, placing it before him.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “You have had a communication with reference to the subject of this letter,” said Mr. Stamford, placing it before him.
with gusto and without reservation
From this reading Now you mention it, I certainly have, and I congratulate you heartily upon it.
occupied or in the control of; often used in combination
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “You have had a communication with reference to the subject of this letter,” said Mr. Stamford, placing it before him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading Now you mention it, I certainly have, and I congratulate you heartily upon it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “You have had a communication with reference to the subject of this letter,” said Mr. Stamford, placing it before him.
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading “You have had a communication with reference to the subject of this letter,” said Mr. Stamford, placing it before him.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
marvellouslyadverb
(used as an intensifier) extremely well
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
the force of workers available
From this reading Wallingford, Richards and Stowe—first-class men in the profession.
make reference to
From this reading Now you mention it, I certainly have, and I congratulate you heartily upon it.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
a form of address for a man
From this reading “You have had a communication with reference to the subject of this letter,” said Mr. Stamford, placing it before him.
not any; not one
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now you mention it, I certainly have, and I congratulate you heartily upon it.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
placingverbUS /ˈpleɪsɪŋ/
-ing form of “place” — put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading “You have had a communication with reference to the subject of this letter,” said Mr. Stamford, placing it before him.
the body of people in a learned occupation
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
referencenounUS /ˈrefərəns/
a remark that calls attention to something or someone
From this reading “You have had a communication with reference to the subject of this letter,” said Mr. Stamford, placing it before him.
RichardsnounUS /ˈrɪtʃərdz/
English literary critic who collaborated with C. K. Ogden and contributed to the development of Basic English (1893-1979)
From this reading Wallingford, Richards and Stowe—first-class men in the profession.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “You have had a communication with reference to the subject of this letter,” said Mr. Stamford, placing it before him.
express in words
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
diligent and thorough in inquiry or investigation
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
secretsnounUS /ˈsiːkrəts/
plural of “secret” — something that should remain hidden from others (especially information that is not to be passed on)
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
solicitornounUS /səˈlɪsətər/
a petitioner who solicits contributions or trade or votes
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
Stamford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “You have had a communication with reference to the subject of this letter,” said Mr. Stamford, placing it before him.
StowenounUS /stoʊ/
United States writer of a novel about slavery that advanced the abolitionists' cause (1811-1896)
From this reading Wallingford, Richards and Stowe—first-class men in the profession.
the subject matter of a conversation or discussion
From this reading “You have had a communication with reference to the subject of this letter,” said Mr. Stamford, placing it before him.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading “You have had a communication with reference to the subject of this letter,” said Mr. Stamford, placing it before him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
something (as property) held by one party (the trustee) for the benefit of another (the beneficiary)
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
unkindlyadjective
lacking in sympathy and kindness
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
someone who visits
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
Wallingford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Wallingford, Richards and Stowe—first-class men in the profession.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The eminent solicitor, than whom no man in his profession held more family confidences, not to say secrets in trust, here fixed a pair of keen grey eyes, not unkindly in expression, but marvellously direct and searching, upon his visitor.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “You have had a communication with reference to the subject of this letter,” said Mr. Stamford, placing it before him.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “You have had a communication with reference to the subject of this letter,” said Mr. Stamford, placing it before him.
