used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
experiencing a sudden sense of danger
From this reading This letter alarmed him when he saw it first.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
bankersnounUS /ˈbæŋkərz/
plural of “banker” — a financier who owns or is an executive in a bank
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
bearernounUS /ˈberər/
someone whose employment involves carrying something
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
communicationnounUS /kəˌmjuːnəˈkeɪʃən/
the activity of communicating; the activity of conveying information
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
demoralisedadjective
made less hopeful or enthusiastic
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
envelopenounUS /ˈenvəloʊp/
a flat (usually rectangular) container for a letter, thin package, etc.
From this reading And when Gervase saw the well-known initials of this firm upon the envelope, his heart failed him.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
expectsverbUS /ɪkˈspekts/
third-person singular of “expect” — regard something as probable or likely
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading And when Gervase saw the well-known initials of this firm upon the envelope, his heart failed him.
(usually followed by “with” or used as a combining form) generously supplied with
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
From this reading And when Gervase saw the well-known initials of this firm upon the envelope, his heart failed him.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading This letter alarmed him when he saw it first.
footstepnounUS /ˈfʊtstep/
the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
Gervase
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
plural of “get” — a return on a shot that seemed impossible to reach and would normally have resulted in a point for the opponent
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
destroyed or killed
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading This letter alarmed him when he saw it first.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading And when Gervase saw the well-known initials of this firm upon the envelope, his heart failed him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
initialsnounUS /ˌɪˈnɪʃəlz/
plural of “initial” — the first letter of a word (especially a person's name)
From this reading And when Gervase saw the well-known initials of this firm upon the envelope, his heart failed him.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading This letter alarmed him when he saw it first.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading This letter alarmed him when he saw it first.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
information about recent and important events
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
overwhelmingadjectiveUS /ˌoʊvərˈwelmɪŋ/
so strong as to be irresistible
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
conforming to the established language usage of educated native speakers
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
an open way (generally public) for travel or transportation
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
cut with a saw
From this reading This letter alarmed him when he saw it first.
third-person singular of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This letter alarmed him when he saw it first.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
a source of difficulty
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
plural of “trouble” — a source of difficulty
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
unexpectedlyadverbUS /ˌʌnɪkˈspektɪdli/
in a way that was not expected
From this reading When troubles come unexpectedly, overwhelming a man, his imagination gets demoralised, and expects nothing but further trouble--every footstep heard on the road seems to be that of a bearer of ill news.
unforeseenadjectiveUS /ˌʌnfɔːrˈsiːn/
not anticipated
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading And when Gervase saw the well-known initials of this firm upon the envelope, his heart failed him.
well-knownadjectiveUS /ˈwelˈnoʊn/
widely or fully known
From this reading And when Gervase saw the well-known initials of this firm upon the envelope, his heart failed him.
at the time that
From this reading This letter alarmed him when he saw it first.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
wildestadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪldɪst/
superlative of “wild” — marked by extreme lack of restraint or control
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Next day Gervase received a communication from his bankers which filled him with the wildest amazement.
not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth
From this reading He thought that something had gone wrong--something new and unforeseen.
