used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Then slowly she began to dance.
brimnounUS /brɪm/
the top edge of a vessel or other container
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
capturedverbUS /ˈkæptʃərd/
past form of “capture” — succeed in representing or expressing something intangible
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
castanetsnoun
(used in the plural) a percussion instrument consisting of a pair of hollow pieces of wood or bone (usually held between the thumb and fingers) that are made to click together (as by Spanish dancers) in rhythm with the dance
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
King of France from 1560 to 1574 whose reign was dominated by his mother Catherine de Medicis (1550-1574)
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
Clavel
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
intentionally conceived
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading Then slowly she began to dance.
dancernounUS /ˈdænsər/
a performer who dances professionally
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
the act of working out the form of something (as by making a sketch or outline or plan)
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
drumsnounUS /drʌmz/
plural of “drum” — a musical percussion instrument; usually consists of a hollow cylinder with a membrane stretched across each end
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
exasperatedadjectiveUS /ɪɡˈzæspəreɪtɪd/
greatly annoyed; out of patience
From this reading She stamped her foot now, and the castanets were sharp, exasperated.
experimentallyadverbUS /ɪkˌsperəˈmentəli/
in an experimental fashion
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
opinion or judgment
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading She stamped her foot now, and the castanets were sharp, exasperated.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
(Christian theology) a state of sanctification by God; the state of one who is under such divine influence
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
inflected form of “grow” — pass into a condition gradually, take on a specific property or attribute; become
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
guitarsnounUS /ɡɪˈtɑːrz/
plural of “guitar” — a stringed instrument usually having six strings; played by strumming or plucking
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
heelnounUS /hiːl/
the bottom of a shoe or boot; the back part of a shoe or boot that touches the ground and provides elevation
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
hipsnounUS /hɪps/
plural of “hip” — either side of the body below the waist and above the thigh
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
hoveredverbUS /ˈhʌvərd/
past form of “hover” — be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
indolentadjectiveUS /ˈɪndələnt/
disinclined to work or exertion
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
insistentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈsɪstənt/
repetitive and persistent
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
a white soft metallic element that tarnishes readily; occurs in rare earth minerals and is usually classified as a rare earth
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
past form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
held up in the air
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
plural of “movement” — a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading She stamped her foot now, and the castanets were sharp, exasperated.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
strongly marked; easily noticeable
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
Remigio's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
reminiscentadjectiveUS /ˌreməˈnɪsənt/
serving to bring to mind
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
rhythmnounUS /ˈrɪðəm/
the basic rhythmic unit in a piece of music
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading She stamped her foot now, and the castanets were sharp, exasperated.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
lift onto one's shoulders
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
having few parts; not complex or complicated or involved
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
slantedadjectiveUS /ˈslæntɪd/
having an oblique or slanted direction
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading Then slowly she began to dance.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
sombreadjective
lacking brightness or color; dull
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
stampedverbUS /stæmpt/
past form of “stamp” — walk heavily
From this reading She stamped her foot now, and the castanets were sharp, exasperated.
not in physical motion
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
suppressedadjectiveUS /səˈprest/
kept from public knowledge by various means
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
swayingverbUS /ˈsweɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “sway” — move back and forth or sideways
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
tappedadjectiveUS /tæpt/
in a condition for letting out liquid drawn out as by piercing or drawing a plug
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then slowly she began to dance.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Then slowly she began to dance.
trianglenounUS /ˈtraɪæŋɡəl/
a three-sided polygon
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
vaguelyadverbUS /ˈveɪɡli/
in a vague way
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading La Clavel was indolent; she tapped a heel and sounded her castanets experimentally; a reminiscent smile hovered on the sombre beauty of her face.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She stamped her foot now, and the castanets were sharp, exasperated.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading Suddenly Charles' attention was wholly captured by the dancer; he leaned forward, gazing over Remigio's shoulder, vaguely conscious of the sound of guitars and suppressed drums, the insistent ring of a triangle.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
woveverbUS /woʊv/
inflected form of “weave” — interlace by or as if by weaving
From this reading She wove a design of simple grace with her hips still and her arms lifted and swaying; she leaned back, her eyes, under the slanted brim of her hat, half closed; and her movements, the rhythm, grew more pronounced.
