used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "A commissionaire, sir, has come and wants to see you."
adeptadjectiveUS /əˈdept/
having or showing knowledge and skill and aptitude
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
(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 "All right," said Melville casually; "send him up."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading "A commissionaire, sir, has come and wants to see you."
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
a human limb; technically the part of the superior limb between the shoulder and the elbow but commonly used to refer to the whole superior limb
From this reading Melville was on the point of leaving his rooms, his Inverness cape hanging on his arm, when Jervis came into the room.
artauxiliary verbUS /ɑːrt/
an old form of “are”, used with “thou”
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
the act of breaking something
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Melville was on the point of leaving his rooms, his Inverness cape hanging on his arm, when Jervis came into the room.
capenounUS /keɪp/
a strip of land projecting into a body of water
From this reading Melville was on the point of leaving his rooms, his Inverness cape hanging on his arm, when Jervis came into the room.
casuallyadverbUS /ˈkæʒəwəli/
not methodically or according to plan
From this reading "All right," said Melville casually; "send him up."
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "A commissionaire, sir, has come and wants to see you."
commissionairenoun
a uniformed doorman
From this reading "A commissionaire, sir, has come and wants to see you."
errandsnounUS /ˈerəndz/
plural of “errand” — a short trip that is taken in the performance of a necessary task or mission
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading FATE TAKES THE ODD TRICK.
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
decoration that is hung (as a tapestry) on a wall or over a window
From this reading Melville was on the point of leaving his rooms, his Inverness cape hanging on his arm, when Jervis came into the room.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "A commissionaire, sir, has come and wants to see you."
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "All right," said Melville casually; "send him up."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Melville was on the point of leaving his rooms, his Inverness cape hanging on his arm, when Jervis came into the room.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Melville was on the point of leaving his rooms, his Inverness cape hanging on his arm, when Jervis came into the room.
Inverness
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Melville was on the point of leaving his rooms, his Inverness cape hanging on his arm, when Jervis came into the room.
Jervis
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Melville was on the point of leaving his rooms, his Inverness cape hanging on his arm, when Jervis came into the room.
the act of departing
From this reading Melville was on the point of leaving his rooms, his Inverness cape hanging on his arm, when Jervis came into the room.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
MelvillenounUS /ˈmelvɪl/
United States writer of novels and short stories (1819-1891)
From this reading Melville was on the point of leaving his rooms, his Inverness cape hanging on his arm, when Jervis came into the room.
a communication (usually brief) that is written or spoken or signaled
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
information about recent and important events
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
not any; not one
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
not divisible by two
From this reading FATE TAKES THE ODD TRICK.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Melville was on the point of leaving his rooms, his Inverness cape hanging on his arm, when Jervis came into the room.
many times at short intervals
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Melville was on the point of leaving his rooms, his Inverness cape hanging on his arm, when Jervis came into the room.
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading Melville was on the point of leaving his rooms, his Inverness cape hanging on his arm, when Jervis came into the room.
precisely, exactly
From this reading "All right," said Melville casually; "send him up."
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Melville was on the point of leaving his rooms, his Inverness cape hanging on his arm, when Jervis came into the room.
apartment consisting of a series of connected rooms used as a living unit (as in a hotel)
From this reading Melville was on the point of leaving his rooms, his Inverness cape hanging on his arm, when Jervis came into the room.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "All right," said Melville casually; "send him up."
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "A commissionaire, sir, has come and wants to see you."
cause to go somewhere
From this reading "All right," said Melville casually; "send him up."
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
term of address for a man
From this reading "A commissionaire, sir, has come and wants to see you."
not in physical motion
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
plural of “take” — the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property
From this reading FATE TAKES THE ODD TRICK.
terselyadverbUS /ˈtɜːrsli/
in a short and concise manner
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading FATE TAKES THE ODD TRICK.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The man appeared and gave his message tersely; he was often sent on errands such as this, but still was no adept in the art of breaking bad news.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading "A commissionaire, sir, has come and wants to see you."
a cunning or deceitful action or device
From this reading FATE TAKES THE ODD TRICK.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "All right," said Melville casually; "send him up."
plural of “want” — a state of extreme poverty
From this reading "A commissionaire, sir, has come and wants to see you."
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Melville was on the point of leaving his rooms, his Inverness cape hanging on his arm, when Jervis came into the room.
at the time that
From this reading Melville was on the point of leaving his rooms, his Inverness cape hanging on his arm, when Jervis came into the room.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "A commissionaire, sir, has come and wants to see you."
