used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
abundantadjectiveUS /əˈbʌndənt/
present in great quantity
From this reading A patriarchal board, abundant and silver-white, streamed down his breast, and out of a dull, white face, seamed and wrinkled, looked a pair of eyes piercing and black.
ACHMET
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading ACHMET THE ASTROLOGER.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading The old man folded his arms across his bosom--and made him a profound Oriental salaam.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
apparitionnounUS /ˌæpərˈɪʃən/
a ghostly appearing figure
From this reading Sir Jasper took a stop backward, and regarded this singular apparition in wonder.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading The old man folded his arms across his bosom--and made him a profound Oriental salaam.
ASTROLOGERnounUS /əˈstrɑːlədʒər/
someone who predicts the future by the positions of the planets and sun and Moon
From this reading ACHMET THE ASTROLOGER.
backwardadverbUS /ˈbækwərd/
at or to or toward the back or rear
From this reading Sir Jasper took a stop backward, and regarded this singular apparition in wonder.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
a committee having supervisory powers
From this reading A patriarchal board, abundant and silver-white, streamed down his breast, and out of a dull, white face, seamed and wrinkled, looked a pair of eyes piercing and black.
the chest considered as the place where secret thoughts are kept
From this reading The old man folded his arms across his bosom--and made him a profound Oriental salaam.
the front of the trunk from the neck to the abdomen
From this reading A patriarchal board, abundant and silver-white, streamed down his breast, and out of a dull, white face, seamed and wrinkled, looked a pair of eyes piercing and black.
anything that covers or conceals
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading A patriarchal board, abundant and silver-white, streamed down his breast, and out of a dull, white face, seamed and wrinkled, looked a pair of eyes piercing and black.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
opinion or judgment
From this reading A patriarchal board, abundant and silver-white, streamed down his breast, and out of a dull, white face, seamed and wrinkled, looked a pair of eyes piercing and black.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading A patriarchal board, abundant and silver-white, streamed down his breast, and out of a dull, white face, seamed and wrinkled, looked a pair of eyes piercing and black.
flowingnounUS /ˈfloʊɪŋ/
the motion characteristic of fluids (liquids or gases)
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
past form of “fold” — bend or lay so that one part covers the other
From this reading The old man folded his arms across his bosom--and made him a profound Oriental salaam.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The old man folded his arms across his bosom--and made him a profound Oriental salaam.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A patriarchal board, abundant and silver-white, streamed down his breast, and out of a dull, white face, seamed and wrinkled, looked a pair of eyes piercing and black.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Sir Jasper took a stop backward, and regarded this singular apparition in wonder.
JaspernounUS /ˈdʒæspər/
an opaque form of quartz; red or yellow or brown or dark green in color; used for ornamentation or as a gemstone
From this reading Sir Jasper took a stop backward, and regarded this singular apparition in wonder.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading A patriarchal board, abundant and silver-white, streamed down his breast, and out of a dull, white face, seamed and wrinkled, looked a pair of eyes piercing and black.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The old man folded his arms across his bosom--and made him a profound Oriental salaam.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
OrientaladjectiveUS /ˌɔːriˈentəl/
denoting or characteristic of countries of the Far East
From this reading The old man folded his arms across his bosom--and made him a profound Oriental salaam.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading A patriarchal board, abundant and silver-white, streamed down his breast, and out of a dull, white face, seamed and wrinkled, looked a pair of eyes piercing and black.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
a set of two similar things considered as a unit
From this reading A patriarchal board, abundant and silver-white, streamed down his breast, and out of a dull, white face, seamed and wrinkled, looked a pair of eyes piercing and black.
patriarchaladjectiveUS /ˌpeɪtriˈɑːrkəl/
characteristic of a form of social organization in which the male is the family head and title is traced through the male line
From this reading A patriarchal board, abundant and silver-white, streamed down his breast, and out of a dull, white face, seamed and wrinkled, looked a pair of eyes piercing and black.
piercingadjectiveUS /ˈpɪrsɪŋ/
having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
From this reading A patriarchal board, abundant and silver-white, streamed down his breast, and out of a dull, white face, seamed and wrinkled, looked a pair of eyes piercing and black.
showing intellectual penetration or emotional depth
From this reading The old man folded his arms across his bosom--and made him a profound Oriental salaam.
past form of “regard” — deem to be
From this reading Sir Jasper took a stop backward, and regarded this singular apparition in wonder.
salaamnounUS /səˈlɑːm/
a deep bow; a Muslim form of salutation
From this reading The old man folded his arms across his bosom--and made him a profound Oriental salaam.
scalpnounUS /skælp/
the skin that covers the top of the head
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
seamedadjective
having or joined by a seam or seams
From this reading A patriarchal board, abundant and silver-white, streamed down his breast, and out of a dull, white face, seamed and wrinkled, looked a pair of eyes piercing and black.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
silver-whiteadjective
of a white that resembles silver
From this reading A patriarchal board, abundant and silver-white, streamed down his breast, and out of a dull, white face, seamed and wrinkled, looked a pair of eyes piercing and black.
unusual or striking
From this reading Sir Jasper took a stop backward, and regarded this singular apparition in wonder.
term of address for a man
From this reading Sir Jasper took a stop backward, and regarded this singular apparition in wonder.
skull-cap
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading Sir Jasper took a stop backward, and regarded this singular apparition in wonder.
streamedverbUS /striːmd/
past form of “stream” — to extend, wave or float outward, as if in the wind
From this reading A patriarchal board, abundant and silver-white, streamed down his breast, and out of a dull, white face, seamed and wrinkled, looked a pair of eyes piercing and black.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading ACHMET THE ASTROLOGER.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Sir Jasper took a stop backward, and regarded this singular apparition in wonder.
tightadjectiveUS /taɪt/
closely constrained or constricted or constricting
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading Sir Jasper took a stop backward, and regarded this singular apparition in wonder.
trailingnounUS /ˈtreɪlɪŋ/
the pursuit (of a person or animal) by following tracks or marks they left behind
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
uprightadjectiveUS /əˈpraɪt/
in a vertical position; not sloping
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
velvetnounUS /ˈvelvət/
a silky densely piled fabric with a plain back
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
(geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
a Caucasian
From this reading A patriarchal board, abundant and silver-white, streamed down his breast, and out of a dull, white face, seamed and wrinkled, looked a pair of eyes piercing and black.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading Sir Jasper took a stop backward, and regarded this singular apparition in wonder.
wrinkledadjectiveUS /ˈrɪŋkəld/
marked by wrinkles
From this reading A patriarchal board, abundant and silver-white, streamed down his breast, and out of a dull, white face, seamed and wrinkled, looked a pair of eyes piercing and black.
but in spite of that
From this reading An old man, yet tall and upright, wearing a trailing cloak of dull black, long gray hair flowing over the shoulders, and tight to the scalp a skull-cap of black velvet.
