used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “She paid me a visit in my bed-chamber.”
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The Marquis stepped back and gazed at him with surprise.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The Marquis stepped back and gazed at him with surprise.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading The Marquis heard him through with profound attention, holding his snuff-box unopened in his hand.
awkwardadjectiveUS /ˈɑːkwərd/
causing inconvenience
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The Marquis stepped back and gazed at him with surprise.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
bed-chamber
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “She paid me a visit in my bed-chamber.”
charmedadjectiveUS /tʃɑːrmd/
strongly attracted
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
a condition that accompanies or influences some event or activity
From this reading My uncle went on gravely, however, and related the whole circumstance.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch; the official language of Britain and the United States and most of the commonwealth countries
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading The Marquis stepped back and gazed at him with surprise.
in a grave and sober manner
From this reading My uncle went on gravely, however, and related the whole circumstance.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading The Marquis heard him through with profound attention, holding his snuff-box unopened in his hand.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading The Marquis heard him through with profound attention, holding his snuff-box unopened in his hand.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The Marquis stepped back and gazed at him with surprise.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
the act of retaining something
From this reading The Marquis heard him through with profound attention, holding his snuff-box unopened in his hand.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading My uncle went on gravely, however, and related the whole circumstance.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “She paid me a visit in my bed-chamber.”
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
humorist who wrote about the imaginary life of cockroaches (1878-1937)
From this reading The Marquis stepped back and gazed at him with surprise.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “She paid me a visit in my bed-chamber.”
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “She paid me a visit in my bed-chamber.”
not any; not one
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading My uncle went on gravely, however, and related the whole circumstance.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
marked by the reception of pay
From this reading “She paid me a visit in my bed-chamber.”
a separate part of a whole
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
pleasantrynounUS /ˈplezəntri/
an agreeable or amusing remark
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
politenessnounUS /pəˈlaɪtnəs/
a courteous manner that respects accepted social usage
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth
From this reading The Marquis heard him through with profound attention, holding his snuff-box unopened in his hand.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
being connected either logically or causally or by shared characteristics
From this reading My uncle went on gravely, however, and related the whole circumstance.
necessary for relief or supply
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “She paid me a visit in my bed-chamber.”
shrugnounUS /ʃrʌɡ/
a gesture involving the shoulders
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
snuff-box
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading The Marquis stepped back and gazed at him with surprise.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading The Marquis stepped back and gazed at him with surprise.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Marquis stepped back and gazed at him with surprise.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The Marquis heard him through with profound attention, holding his snuff-box unopened in his hand.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading My uncle went on gravely, however, and related the whole circumstance.
unopenedadjectiveUS /əˈnoʊpənd/
not yet opened or unsealed
From this reading The Marquis heard him through with profound attention, holding his snuff-box unopened in his hand.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading “She paid me a visit in my bed-chamber.”
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading My uncle went on gravely, however, and related the whole circumstance.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The Marquis pulled out his snuff-box with a shrug and a smile; taking it no doubt for an awkward piece of English pleasantry, which politeness required him to be charmed with.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading My uncle went on gravely, however, and related the whole circumstance.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Marquis stepped back and gazed at him with surprise.
