used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
(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 _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
any thing at all
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
auctionnounUS /ˈɑːkʃən/
a variety of bridge in which tricks made in excess of the contract are scored toward game; now generally superseded by contract bridge
From this reading It was a warm and muggy day and a number of idling passersby had stopped to watch the auction.
auctionplace
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
Barr
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The stranger's name was Barr Herndon, and he was a tall man, with a proud, lonely face.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading It was not the face he had been born with, though his own had been equally proud, equally lonely.
Borlaam
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
brought into existence
From this reading It was not the face he had been born with, though his own had been equally proud, equally lonely.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
cause to herd, drive, or crowd together
From this reading He shouldered his way through the crowd.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading It was a warm and muggy day and a number of idling passersby had stopped to watch the auction.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
to the same degree (often followed by “as”)
From this reading It was not the face he had been born with, though his own had been equally proud, equally lonely.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading The stranger's name was Barr Herndon, and he was a tall man, with a proud, lonely face.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It was not the face he had been born with, though his own had been equally proud, equally lonely.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The stranger's name was Barr Herndon, and he was a tall man, with a proud, lonely face.
Herndon
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
herringnounUS /ˈherɪŋ/
valuable flesh of fatty fish from shallow waters of northern Atlantic or Pacific; usually salted or pickled
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It was not the face he had been born with, though his own had been equally proud, equally lonely.
idlingnounUS /ˈaɪdəlɪŋ/
having no employment
From this reading It was a warm and muggy day and a number of idling passersby had stopped to watch the auction.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
lacking companions or companionship
From this reading The stranger's name was Barr Herndon, and he was a tall man, with a proud, lonely face.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The stranger's name was Barr Herndon, and he was a tall man, with a proud, lonely face.
muggyadjectiveUS /ˈmʌɡi/
hot or warm and humid
From this reading It was a warm and muggy day and a number of idling passersby had stopped to watch the auction.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading The stranger's name was Barr Herndon, and he was a tall man, with a proud, lonely face.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading It was not the face he had been born with, though his own had been equally proud, equally lonely.
the property possessed by a sum or total or indefinite quantity of units or individuals
From this reading It was a warm and muggy day and a number of idling passersby had stopped to watch the auction.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a warm and muggy day and a number of idling passersby had stopped to watch the auction.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading It was not the face he had been born with, though his own had been equally proud, equally lonely.
passersby
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a warm and muggy day and a number of idling passersby had stopped to watch the auction.
being complete of its kind and without defect or blemish
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
proteusnoun
(Greek mythology) a prophetic god who served Poseidon; was capable of changing his shape at will
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
feeling self-respect or pleasure in something by which you measure your self-worth; or being a reason for pride
From this reading The stranger's name was Barr Herndon, and he was a tall man, with a proud, lonely face.
people in general considered as a whole
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
sellingnounUS /ˈselɪŋ/
the exchange of goods for an agreed sum of money
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
any spatial attributes (especially as defined by outline)
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
shoulderedadjectiveUS /ˈʃoʊldərd/
having shoulders or shoulders as specified; usually used as a combining form
From this reading He shouldered his way through the crowd.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading It was a warm and muggy day and a number of idling passersby had stopped to watch the auction.
anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
stranger'snounUS /ˈstreɪndʒərz/
possessive form of “stranger” — anyone who does not belong in the environment in which they are found
From this reading The stranger's name was Barr Herndon, and he was a tall man, with a proud, lonely face.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading The stranger's name was Barr Herndon, and he was a tall man, with a proud, lonely face.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading It was not the face he had been born with, though his own had been equally proud, equally lonely.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading He shouldered his way through the crowd.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
past form of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading It was a warm and muggy day and a number of idling passersby had stopped to watch the auction.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The stranger's name was Barr Herndon, and he was a tall man, with a proud, lonely face.
look attentively
From this reading It was a warm and muggy day and a number of idling passersby had stopped to watch the auction.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He shouldered his way through the crowd.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
at the time that
From this reading _The proteus could change its shape to anything at all--and Herndon discovered it made a perfect red herring!_ They were selling a proteus in the public auctionplace at Borlaam, when the stranger wandered by.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The stranger's name was Barr Herndon, and he was a tall man, with a proud, lonely face.
