used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a few seconds Jocelyn Thew was certainly taken aback.
abackadverbUS /əˈbæk/
having the wind against the forward side of the sails
From this reading For a few seconds Jocelyn Thew was certainly taken aback.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading But, after all, the interlude was brief enough.
(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 But, after all, the interlude was brief enough.
appealingadjectiveUS /əˈpiːlɪŋ/
able to attract interest or draw favorable attention
From this reading Her vivid brown eyes were fastened upon his face, eager to understand his attitude, a little defiant, a little appealing.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
a complex mental state involving beliefs and feelings and values and dispositions to act in certain ways
From this reading Her vivid brown eyes were fastened upon his face, eager to understand his attitude, a little defiant, a little appealing.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
blankadjectiveUS /blæŋk/
(of a surface) not written or printed on
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
of short duration or distance
From this reading But, after all, the interlude was brief enough.
an orange of low brightness and saturation
From this reading Her vivid brown eyes were fastened upon his face, eager to understand his attitude, a little defiant, a little appealing.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But, after all, the interlude was brief enough.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading For a few seconds Jocelyn Thew was certainly taken aback.
coupledadjectiveUS /ˈkʌpəld/
joined together especially in a pair or pairs
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
Crawshay
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
defiantadjectiveUS /dɪˈfaɪənt/
boldly resisting authority or an opposing force
From this reading Her vivid brown eyes were fastened upon his face, eager to understand his attitude, a little defiant, a little appealing.
past form of “demand” — request urgently and forcefully
From this reading "Exactly what does this mean, Nora?" he demanded.
doesauxiliary verbUS /dʌz/
the form of “do” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "Exactly what does this mean, Nora?" he demanded.
eageradjectiveUS /ˈiːɡər/
having or showing keen interest or intense desire or impatient expectancy
From this reading Her vivid brown eyes were fastened upon his face, eager to understand his attitude, a little defiant, a little appealing.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading But, after all, the interlude was brief enough.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading "Exactly what does this mean, Nora?" he demanded.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Her vivid brown eyes were fastened upon his face, eager to understand his attitude, a little defiant, a little appealing.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading Her vivid brown eyes were fastened upon his face, eager to understand his attitude, a little defiant, a little appealing.
firmly closed or secured
From this reading Her vivid brown eyes were fastened upon his face, eager to understand his attitude, a little defiant, a little appealing.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading For a few seconds Jocelyn Thew was certainly taken aback.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a few seconds Jocelyn Thew was certainly taken aback.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Exactly what does this mean, Nora?" he demanded.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her vivid brown eyes were fastened upon his face, eager to understand his attitude, a little defiant, a little appealing.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
interludenounUS /ˈɪntərluːd/
an intervening period or episode
From this reading But, after all, the interlude was brief enough.
Jocelyn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a few seconds Jocelyn Thew was certainly taken aback.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
something that is lost
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading "Exactly what does this mean, Nora?" he demanded.
Nora
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Exactly what does this mean, Nora?" he demanded.
a brief written record
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
poiseverbUS /pɔɪz/
be motionless, in suspension
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
secondsnounUS /ˈsekəndz/
plural of “second” — 1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading For a few seconds Jocelyn Thew was certainly taken aback.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading For a few seconds Jocelyn Thew was certainly taken aback.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading But, after all, the interlude was brief enough.
Thew
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading For a few seconds Jocelyn Thew was certainly taken aback.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading "Exactly what does this mean, Nora?" he demanded.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading Her vivid brown eyes were fastened upon his face, eager to understand his attitude, a little defiant, a little appealing.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Her vivid brown eyes were fastened upon his face, eager to understand his attitude, a little defiant, a little appealing.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading Her vivid brown eyes were fastened upon his face, eager to understand his attitude, a little defiant, a little appealing.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading For a few seconds Jocelyn Thew was certainly taken aback.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "Exactly what does this mean, Nora?" he demanded.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
in the company of; together with
From this reading His little start, his look of blank astonishment, were coupled with a certain loss of poise which Crawshay had been quick to note.
