used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "A lady to see you, sir."
commonly used or practiced; usual
From this reading He had scarcely re-entered the room and resumed his accustomed seat by the window when Higgs announced her.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
prior to a specified or implied time
From this reading The lady was already in the doorway.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He had scarcely re-entered the room and resumed his accustomed seat by the window when Higgs announced her.
declared publicly; made widely known
From this reading He had scarcely re-entered the room and resumed his accustomed seat by the window when Higgs announced her.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading He had scarcely re-entered the room and resumed his accustomed seat by the window when Higgs announced her.
clientnounUS /ˈklaɪənt/
a person who seeks the advice of a lawyer
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
the act of departing
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
From this reading The lady was already in the doorway.
dovetailedverbUS /ˈdʌvteɪld/
past form of “dovetail” — fit together tightly, as if by means of a dovetail
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading She must have followed Higgs from the hall, and now stood, hesitating, on the threshold.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading She must have followed Higgs from the hall, and now stood, hesitating, on the threshold.
Gimblet
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had scarcely re-entered the room and resumed his accustomed seat by the window when Higgs announced her.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading She must have followed Higgs from the hall, and now stood, hesitating, on the threshold.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading She must have followed Higgs from the hall, and now stood, hesitating, on the threshold.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had scarcely re-entered the room and resumed his accustomed seat by the window when Higgs announced her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He had scarcely re-entered the room and resumed his accustomed seat by the window when Higgs announced her.
hesitatingadjectiveUS /ˈhezəteɪtɪŋ/
lacking decisiveness of character; unable to act or decide quickly or firmly
From this reading She must have followed Higgs from the hall, and now stood, hesitating, on the threshold.
Higgs
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had scarcely re-entered the room and resumed his accustomed seat by the window when Higgs announced her.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The lady was already in the doorway.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading She must have followed Higgs from the hall, and now stood, hesitating, on the threshold.
neatlyadverbUS /ˈniːtli/
with neatness
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading She must have followed Higgs from the hall, and now stood, hesitating, on the threshold.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
re-enteredverbUS /ˌriːˈentərd/
past form of “re-enter” — enter again
From this reading He had scarcely re-entered the room and resumed his accustomed seat by the window when Higgs announced her.
past form of “resume” — take up or begin anew
From this reading He had scarcely re-entered the room and resumed his accustomed seat by the window when Higgs announced her.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading He had scarcely re-entered the room and resumed his accustomed seat by the window when Higgs announced her.
only a very short time before
From this reading He had scarcely re-entered the room and resumed his accustomed seat by the window when Higgs announced her.
a space reserved for sitting (as in a theater or on a train or airplane)
From this reading He had scarcely re-entered the room and resumed his accustomed seat by the window when Higgs announced her.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "A lady to see you, sir."
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She must have followed Higgs from the hall, and now stood, hesitating, on the threshold.
term of address for a man
From this reading "A lady to see you, sir."
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading She must have followed Higgs from the hall, and now stood, hesitating, on the threshold.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
thresholdnounUS /ˈθreʃoʊld/
the starting point for a new state or experience
From this reading She must have followed Higgs from the hall, and now stood, hesitating, on the threshold.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
not known
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
at the time that
From this reading He had scarcely re-entered the room and resumed his accustomed seat by the window when Higgs announced her.
belonging to which person
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading He had scarcely re-entered the room and resumed his accustomed seat by the window when Higgs announced her.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The lady, whose visit to Gimblet dovetailed so neatly with the departure of his other client on that summer afternoon, was unknown to him.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "A lady to see you, sir."
