1909
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Well?” he asked, after a little while.
acerbitynoun
a sharp bitterness
From this reading I repeated with some acerbity.
in actual fact
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading “Well?” he asked, after a little while.
anew
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “Well?” he asked, after a little while.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
bone-rimmed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
ConounUS /koʊ/
an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
GreeningnounUS /ˈɡriːnɪŋ/
the phenomenon of vitality and freshness being restored
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “Well?” he asked, after a little while.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
how
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading I repeated with some acerbity.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
knotsnounUS /nɑːts/
plural of “knot” — a tight cluster of people or things
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
immediately past
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “Well?” he asked, after a little while.
the capital and largest city of England; located on the Thames in southeastern England; financial and industrial and cultural center
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
Ltd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
engage in
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
be successful; achieve a goal
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
prepared and printed for distribution and sale
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
recurring again and again
From this reading I repeated with some acerbity.
Identical; not different.
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading I repeated with some acerbity.
spectaclesnounUS /ˈspektəkəlz/
(plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
a lightweight cord
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
the upper part of anything
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
undoingnounUS /ənˈduːɪŋ/
an act that makes a previous act of no effect (as if not done)
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading Published 1909, Greening & Co., Ltd. (London) The man in the corner was watching me over the top of his great bone-rimmed spectacles.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading “Well?” he asked, after a little while.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading “Well?” he asked, after a little while.
in the company of; together with
From this reading I repeated with some acerbity.
showing curiosity
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading I had been wondering for the last ten minutes how many more knots he would manage to make in that same bit of string, before he actually started undoing them again.
