used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
in actual fact
From this reading Some assert that he actually struck him, and that the groom was too wretched and too dazed to resent either words or blows.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading Mr. Keeson lost his temper for an instant, they say—but for one instant only.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
assertverbUS /əˈsɜːrt/
state categorically
From this reading Some assert that he actually struck him, and that the groom was too wretched and too dazed to resent either words or blows.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
an indentation of a shoreline larger than a cove but smaller than a gulf
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
blowsnounUS /bloʊz/
plural of “blow” — a powerful stroke with the fist or a weapon
From this reading Some assert that he actually struck him, and that the groom was too wretched and too dazed to resent either words or blows.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
bone-rimmed
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Mr. Keeson lost his temper for an instant, they say—but for one instant only.
catastrophenounUS /kəˈtæstrəfi/
an event resulting in great loss and misfortune
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
Cigarette'snounUS /ˌsɪɡərˈets/
possessive form of “cigarette” — finely ground tobacco wrapped in paper; for smoking
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
Cockram
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
without stop or interruption
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
dazedadjectiveUS /deɪzd/
in a state of mental numbness especially as resulting from shock
From this reading Some assert that he actually struck him, and that the groom was too wretched and too dazed to resent either words or blows.
one or the other of two
From this reading Some assert that he actually struck him, and that the groom was too wretched and too dazed to resent either words or blows.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
fitnessnounUS /ˈfɪtnəs/
the quality of being suitable
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Mr. Keeson lost his temper for an instant, they say—but for one instant only.
an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
past form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
glassyadjectiveUS /ˈɡlæsi/
resembling glass in smoothness and shininess and slickness
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
groomverbUS /ɡruːm/
educate for a future role or function
From this reading Some assert that he actually struck him, and that the groom was too wretched and too dazed to resent either words or blows.
in a hurried or hasty manner
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
of comparatively great physical weight or density
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Some assert that he actually struck him, and that the groom was too wretched and too dazed to resent either words or blows.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
plural of “hope” — a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading Mr. Keeson lost his temper for an instant, they say—but for one instant only.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
Keeson
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Keeson lost his temper for an instant, they say—but for one instant only.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
no longer in your possession or control; unable to be found or recovered
From this reading Mr. Keeson lost his temper for an instant, they say—but for one instant only.
the deliberate act of deviating from the truth
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
marenounUS /mer/
female equine animal
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
mildadjectiveUS /maɪld/
moderate in type or degree or effect or force; far from extreme
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
the one or ones belonging to the person speaking
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr. Keeson lost his temper for an instant, they say—but for one instant only.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading Mr. Keeson lost his temper for an instant, they say—but for one instant only.
and nothing more
From this reading Mr. Keeson lost his temper for an instant, they say—but for one instant only.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Some assert that he actually struck him, and that the groom was too wretched and too dazed to resent either words or blows.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
pleasantlyadverbUS /ˈplezəntli/
in a cheerful manner
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
located or moved above the surround or above the normal position
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
resentverbUS /rɪˈzent/
feel bitter or indignant about
From this reading Some assert that he actually struck him, and that the groom was too wretched and too dazed to resent either words or blows.
not tired; refreshed as by sleeping or relaxing
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
riding-whip
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
rigidadjectiveUS /ˈrɪdʒəd/
incapable of or resistant to bending
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
cut with a saw
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
express in words
From this reading Mr. Keeson lost his temper for an instant, they say—but for one instant only.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Some assert that he actually struck him, and that the groom was too wretched and too dazed to resent either words or blows.
spectaclesnounUS /ˈspektəkəlz/
(plural) optical instrument consisting of a frame that holds a pair of lenses for correcting defective vision
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
stablesnounUS /ˈsteɪbəlz/
plural of “stable” — a farm building for housing horses or other livestock
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
plant fiber used e.g. for making baskets and hats or as fodder
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading Some assert that he actually struck him, and that the groom was too wretched and too dazed to resent either words or blows.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
summonedverbUS /ˈsʌmənd/
past form of “summon” — call in an official matter, such as to attend court
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
a sudden outburst of anger
From this reading Mr. Keeson lost his temper for an instant, they say—but for one instant only.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Some assert that he actually struck him, and that the groom was too wretched and too dazed to resent either words or blows.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Mr. Keeson lost his temper for an instant, they say—but for one instant only.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading The man in the corner looked at me through his bone-rimmed spectacles, and his mild blue eyes gazed pleasantly into mine.
thunderboltnounUS /ˈθʌndərbɔːlt/
a discharge of lightning accompanied by thunder
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Some assert that he actually struck him, and that the groom was too wretched and too dazed to resent either words or blows.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
(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 “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
at the time that
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
belonging to which person
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
in the company of; together with
From this reading When he was hastily summoned at six o’clock in the morning to Cigarette’s stables, and saw her lying on the straw, rigid and with glassy eyes, he raised his heavy riding-whip over the head of Cockram.
the words that are spoken
From this reading Some assert that he actually struck him, and that the groom was too wretched and too dazed to resent either words or blows.
of very poor quality or condition
From this reading Some assert that he actually struck him, and that the groom was too wretched and too dazed to resent either words or blows.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “You may well imagine,” he continued, after a while, “what a thunderbolt such a catastrophe means to those whose hopes of a fortune rested upon the fitness of the bay mare.
