used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Perhaps a mental breakdown was responsible for this alteration.
alterationnounUS /ˌɔːltərˈeɪʃən/
an event that occurs when something passes from one state or phase to another
From this reading Perhaps a mental breakdown was responsible for this alteration.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Her loneliness, and her nervousness, grew sharper.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
BobbynounUS /ˈbɑːbi/
an informal term for a British policeman
From this reading "And Bobby," she said to herself, "or somebody will have to come out here to-morrow to help."
breakdownnounUS /ˈbreɪkdaʊn/
the act of disrupting an established order so it fails to continue
From this reading Perhaps a mental breakdown was responsible for this alteration.
butlernounUS /ˈbʌtlər/
a manservant (usually the head servant of a household) who has charge of wines and the table
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "And Bobby," she said to herself, "or somebody will have to come out here to-morrow to help."
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
plural of “footstep” — the sound of a step of someone walking
From this reading The restless, shuffling footsteps stimulated her imagination.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Perhaps a mental breakdown was responsible for this alteration.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading Her loneliness, and her nervousness, grew sharper.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "And Bobby," she said to herself, "or somebody will have to come out here to-morrow to help."
give help or assistance; be of service
From this reading "And Bobby," she said to herself, "or somebody will have to come out here to-morrow to help."
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her loneliness, and her nervousness, grew sharper.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading "And Bobby," she said to herself, "or somebody will have to come out here to-morrow to help."
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading "And Bobby," she said to herself, "or somebody will have to come out here to-morrow to help."
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
the formation of a mental image of something that is not perceived as real and is not present to the senses
From this reading The restless, shuffling footsteps stimulated her imagination.
Jenkins
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
lonelinessnounUS /ˈloʊnlinəs/
the state of being alone in solitary isolation
From this reading Her loneliness, and her nervousness, grew sharper.
involving the mind or an intellectual process
From this reading Perhaps a mental breakdown was responsible for this alteration.
nervousnessnounUS /ˈnɜːrvəsnəs/
the anxious feeling you have when you have the jitters
From this reading Her loneliness, and her nervousness, grew sharper.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "And Bobby," she said to herself, "or somebody will have to come out here to-morrow to help."
by chance
From this reading Perhaps a mental breakdown was responsible for this alteration.
responsibleadjectiveUS /riˈspɑːnsəbəl/
worthy of or requiring responsibility or trust; or held accountable
From this reading Perhaps a mental breakdown was responsible for this alteration.
worried and uneasy
From this reading The restless, shuffling footsteps stimulated her imagination.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "And Bobby," she said to herself, "or somebody will have to come out here to-morrow to help."
plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
have in common
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
sharpernounUS /ˈʃɑːrpər/
a professional card player who makes a living by cheating at card games
From this reading Her loneliness, and her nervousness, grew sharper.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
shufflingnounUS /ˈʃʌflɪŋ/
walking with a slow dragging motion without lifting your feet
From this reading The restless, shuffling footsteps stimulated her imagination.
a person, without saying who
From this reading "And Bobby," she said to herself, "or somebody will have to come out here to-morrow to help."
stimulatedadjectiveUS /ˈstɪmjəleɪtɪd/
emotionally aroused
From this reading The restless, shuffling footsteps stimulated her imagination.
temptedverbUS /ˈtemptɪd/
past form of “tempt” — dispose or incline or entice to
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The restless, shuffling footsteps stimulated her imagination.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Perhaps a mental breakdown was responsible for this alteration.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
to-morrow
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "And Bobby," she said to herself, "or somebody will have to come out here to-morrow to help."
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
vigilnounUS /ˈvɪdʒəl/
a period of sleeplessness
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Perhaps a mental breakdown was responsible for this alteration.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading "And Bobby," she said to herself, "or somebody will have to come out here to-morrow to help."
plural of “woman” — an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading She was tempted to ring for Jenkins, the butler, to share her vigil; or for one of the two women servants, now far at the back of the house.
