used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
(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 XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
a line of approach
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
the two together, not just one
From this reading He could not make up his mind clearly what he was feeling; he was conscious both of shame and dread, while his vanity was flattered....
the act of burning something
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
without doubt or question
From this reading He could not make up his mind clearly what he was feeling; he was conscious both of shame and dread, while his vanity was flattered....
intentionally conceived
From this reading He could not make up his mind clearly what he was feeling; he was conscious both of shame and dread, while his vanity was flattered....
consistencynounUS /kənˈsɪstənsi/
the property of holding together and retaining its shape
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He could not make up his mind clearly what he was feeling; he was conscious both of shame and dread, while his vanity was flattered....
plural of “creature” — a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
fearful expectation or anticipation
From this reading He could not make up his mind clearly what he was feeling; he was conscious both of shame and dread, while his vanity was flattered....
DuchessnounUS /ˈdʌtʃəs/
the wife of a duke or a woman holding ducal title in her own right
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading He could not make up his mind clearly what he was feeling; he was conscious both of shame and dread, while his vanity was flattered....
flatteredverbUS /ˈflætərd/
past form of “flatter” — praise somewhat dishonestly
From this reading He could not make up his mind clearly what he was feeling; he was conscious both of shame and dread, while his vanity was flattered....
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
hackneyedadjectiveUS /ˈhæknid/
repeated too often; overfamiliar through overuse
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
hideousnessnoun
dreadful ugliness; horrible repulsiveness
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He could not make up his mind clearly what he was feeling; he was conscious both of shame and dread, while his vanity was flattered....
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
Irina
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
Litvinov
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
engage in
From this reading He could not make up his mind clearly what he was feeling; he was conscious both of shame and dread, while his vanity was flattered....
mechanicallyadverbUS /məˈkænɪkli/
in a mechanical manner; by a mechanism
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading He could not make up his mind clearly what he was feeling; he was conscious both of shame and dread, while his vanity was flattered....
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
not any; not one
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He could not make up his mind clearly what he was feeling; he was conscious both of shame and dread, while his vanity was flattered....
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
and nothing more
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
causing physical or psychological pain
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
pervertedadjectiveUS /pərˈvɜːrtɪd/
(used of sexual behavior) showing or appealing to bizarre or deviant tastes
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
phrasesnounUS /ˈfreɪzəz/
plural of “phrase” — an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
rapidadjectiveUS /ˈræpəd/
done or occurring in a brief period of time
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
all of your experiences that determine how things appear to you
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
repeatingnounUS /rɪˈpiːtɪŋ/
the act of doing or performing again
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
a painful emotion resulting from an awareness of inadequacy or guilt
From this reading He could not make up his mind clearly what he was feeling; he was conscious both of shame and dread, while his vanity was flattered....
an instance of visual perception
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
an extended social group having a distinctive cultural and economic organization
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
suitenounUS /swiːt/
a musical composition of several movements only loosely connected
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
surroundingsnounUS /sərˈaʊndɪŋz/
the environmental condition
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
there's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
they're
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
the process of using your mind to consider something carefully
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
plural of “thought” — the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
thunder-storm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
hard to endure
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
not expected or anticipated
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He could not make up his mind clearly what he was feeling; he was conscious both of shame and dread, while his vanity was flattered....
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
vanitynounUS /ˈvænəti/
feelings of excessive pride
From this reading He could not make up his mind clearly what he was feeling; he was conscious both of shame and dread, while his vanity was flattered....
wardnounUS /wɔːrd/
a person who is under the protection or in the custody of another
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He could not make up his mind clearly what he was feeling; he was conscious both of shame and dread, while his vanity was flattered....
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading In reality he was not thinking this at all, but only mechanically repeating these hackneyed phrases, as though he were trying to ward off other more painful thoughts.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He could not make up his mind clearly what he was feeling; he was conscious both of shame and dread, while his vanity was flattered....
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading He could not make up his mind clearly what he was feeling; he was conscious both of shame and dread, while his vanity was flattered....
in the company of; together with
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading ‘Queer creatures these society women,’ he thought; ‘there’s no consistency in them ... and how perverted they are by the surroundings in which they go on living, while they’re conscious of its hideousness themselves!’...
the words that are spoken
From this reading The unexpected explanation with Irina had taken him utterly by surprise; her rapid burning words had passed over him like a thunder-storm.
XIVnoun
the cardinal number that is the sum of thirteen and one
From this reading XIV Litvinov let the Grand Duchess and all her suite get out of sight, and then he too went along the avenue.
