used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Never did any gesture give a better welcome than the opening of that door!
from one side of something to the other
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading In the square hall, several men were talking together, men with Oxford voices and open-air faces.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Never did any gesture give a better welcome than the opening of that door!
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
backgroundnounUS /ˈbækɡraʊnd/
a person's social heritage: previous experience or training
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
(comparative of “good”) superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability; more highly skilled than another
From this reading Never did any gesture give a better welcome than the opening of that door!
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
cascadesnounUS /kæˈskeɪdz/
a mountain range in the northwestern United States extending through Washington and Oregon and northern California; a part of the Coast Range
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
chillnounUS /tʃɪl/
coldness due to a cold environment
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
having a low or inadequate temperature or feeling a sensation of coldness or having been made cold by e.g. ice or refrigeration
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
conventionaladjectiveUS /kənˈvenʃənəl/
following accepted customs and proprieties
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
dancedverbUS /dænst/
past form of “dance” — move in a graceful and rhythmical way
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
deferencenounUS /ˈdefərəns/
a courteous expression (by word or deed) of esteem or regard
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Never did any gesture give a better welcome than the opening of that door!
dimnessnoun
the state of being poorly illuminated
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Never did any gesture give a better welcome than the opening of that door!
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
at any time
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading In the square hall, several men were talking together, men with Oxford voices and open-air faces.
plural of “figure” — a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
firelightnoun
the light of a fire (especially in a fireplace)
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
the cardinal number that is the sum of four and one
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
flittingverbUS /ˈflɪtɪŋ/
inflected form of “flit” — move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
a man of refinement
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling
From this reading Never did any gesture give a better welcome than the opening of that door!
ghostsnounUS /ɡoʊsts/
plural of “ghost” — a mental representation of some haunting experience
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Never did any gesture give a better welcome than the opening of that door!
an alert and refreshed state
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
greetverbUS /ɡriːt/
express greetings upon meeting someone
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
grizzledadjectiveUS /ˈɡrɪzəld/
having dark hairs mixed with grey or white
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
half-seen
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading In the square hall, several men were talking together, men with Oxford voices and open-air faces.
enjoying or showing or marked by joy or pleasure
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
hostessnounUS /ˈhoʊstəs/
a woman host
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
hoveredverbUS /ˈhʌvərd/
past form of “hover” — be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
impressionistnounUS /ˌɪmˈpreʃənəst/
a painter who follows the theories of Impressionism
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the square hall, several men were talking together, men with Oxford voices and open-air faces.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
the act of hearing attentively
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
the force of workers available
From this reading In the square hall, several men were talking together, men with Oxford voices and open-air faces.
the location of something surrounded by other things
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
plural of “mountain” — a land mass that projects well above its surroundings; higher than a hill
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading Never did any gesture give a better welcome than the opening of that door!
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Never did any gesture give a better welcome than the opening of that door!
olderadjectiveUS /ˈoʊldər/
advanced in years; (“aged” is pronounced as two syllables)
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
open-airadjective
in the open air
From this reading In the square hall, several men were talking together, men with Oxford voices and open-air faces.
an open or empty space in or between things
From this reading Never did any gesture give a better welcome than the opening of that door!
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
OxfordnounUS /ˈɑːksfərd/
a city in southern England to the northwest of London; site of Oxford University
From this reading In the square hall, several men were talking together, men with Oxford voices and open-air faces.
pink-cheeked
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
ruddyadjectiveUS /ˈrʌdi/
inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
a general conscious awareness
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
(used with count nouns) of an indefinite number more than 2 or 3 but not many
From this reading In the square hall, several men were talking together, men with Oxford voices and open-air faces.
shapesnounUS /ʃeɪps/
plural of “shape” — any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
shiveringnounUS /ˈʃɪvərɪŋ/
a sensation of cold that often marks the start of an infection and the development of a fever
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
sketchnounUS /sketʃ/
preliminary drawing for later elaboration
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
make square
From this reading In the square hall, several men were talking together, men with Oxford voices and open-air faces.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
streamedverbUS /striːmd/
past form of “stream” — to extend, wave or float outward, as if in the wind
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading In the square hall, several men were talking together, men with Oxford voices and open-air faces.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Never did any gesture give a better welcome than the opening of that door!
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Never did any gesture give a better welcome than the opening of that door!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Never did any gesture give a better welcome than the opening of that door!
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading In the square hall, several men were talking together, men with Oxford voices and open-air faces.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
virileadjectiveUS /ˈvɪrəl/
characterized by energy and vigor
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading In the square hall, several men were talking together, men with Oxford voices and open-air faces.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
We'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
weather-beatenadjective
tanned and coarsened from being outdoors
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
accept gladly
From this reading Never did any gesture give a better welcome than the opening of that door!
welcomedverbUS /ˈwelkəmd/
past form of “welcome” — accept gladly
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
at the time that
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
a Caucasian
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
in the company of; together with
From this reading We'd been too happy to know we were cold with the chill of the mountains--half-seen shapes that hovered close, with white cascades like ghosts flitting ever across their dimness; but when a glow of firelight streamed out to greet us, suddenly we realized that we were shivering.
but in spite of that
From this reading In their midst was one man, much older, grizzled and weather-beaten, not a gentleman in the conventional sense, yet in listening to him the others had an air of deference, as if he were a hero to the group.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading The four or five figures stood out like a virile, impressionist sketch in black and brown on a red background; but as we entered, welcomed by some pink-cheeked young hostess, the ruddy light danced into our eyes.
