used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
how long something has existed
From this reading In an even, toneless voice she told her name, age, and status, then waited for further questions.
(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 “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In an even, toneless voice she told her name, age, and status, then waited for further questions.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
anæmic
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading “‘Your father went out a little before ten o’clock on Tuesday night last, did he not?’ asked the coroner very kindly.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She stood perfectly listlessly before the coroner, waiting to be questioned, but otherwise not seeming to take the slightest interest in the proceedings.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading She stood perfectly listlessly before the coroner, waiting to be questioned, but otherwise not seeming to take the slightest interest in the proceedings.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She stood perfectly listlessly before the coroner, waiting to be questioned, but otherwise not seeming to take the slightest interest in the proceedings.
cladadjectiveUS /klæd/
wearing or provided with clothing; sometimes used in combination
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
complexionnounUS /kəmˈplekʃən/
the coloring of a person's face
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
without stop or interruption
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
coronernounUS /ˈkɔːrənər/
a public official who investigates by inquest any death not due to natural causes
From this reading She stood perfectly listlessly before the coroner, waiting to be questioned, but otherwise not seeming to take the slightest interest in the proceedings.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
relatively deep or strong; affecting one deeply
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading “‘Your father went out a little before ten o’clock on Tuesday night last, did he not?’ asked the coroner very kindly.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
divisible by two
From this reading In an even, toneless voice she told her name, age, and status, then waited for further questions.
at any time
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
opinion or judgment
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading “‘Your father went out a little before ten o’clock on Tuesday night last, did he not?’ asked the coroner very kindly.
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading In an even, toneless voice she told her name, age, and status, then waited for further questions.
at or to or toward the front
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading In an even, toneless voice she told her name, age, and status, then waited for further questions.
cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
havocnounUS /ˈhævək/
violent and needless disturbance
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “‘Your father went out a little before ten o’clock on Tuesday night last, did he not?’ asked the coroner very kindly.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading “‘Your father went out a little before ten o’clock on Tuesday night last, did he not?’ asked the coroner very kindly.
immediately past
From this reading “‘Your father went out a little before ten o’clock on Tuesday night last, did he not?’ asked the coroner very kindly.
listlesslyadverbUS /ˈlɪstləsli/
in a listless manner
From this reading She stood perfectly listlessly before the coroner, waiting to be questioned, but otherwise not seeming to take the slightest interest in the proceedings.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
the mother of Jesus; Christians refer to her as the Virgin Mary; she is especially honored by Roman Catholics
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading In an even, toneless voice she told her name, age, and status, then waited for further questions.
NewtonnounUS /ˈnuːtən/
English mathematician and physicist; remembered for developing the calculus and for his law of gravitation and his three laws of motion (1642-1727)
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading “‘Your father went out a little before ten o’clock on Tuesday night last, did he not?’ asked the coroner very kindly.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She stood perfectly listlessly before the coroner, waiting to be questioned, but otherwise not seeming to take the slightest interest in the proceedings.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading “‘Your father went out a little before ten o’clock on Tuesday night last, did he not?’ asked the coroner very kindly.
obviouslyadverbUS /ˈɑːbviəsli/
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading “‘Your father went out a little before ten o’clock on Tuesday night last, did he not?’ asked the coroner very kindly.
in other respects or ways
From this reading She stood perfectly listlessly before the coroner, waiting to be questioned, but otherwise not seeming to take the slightest interest in the proceedings.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading “‘Your father went out a little before ten o’clock on Tuesday night last, did he not?’ asked the coroner very kindly.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
palpitatingadjectiveUS /ˈpælpəteɪtɪŋ/
having a slight and rapid trembling motion
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
patheticadjectiveUS /pəˈθetɪk/
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
a time interval during which there is a temporary cessation of something
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
completely and without qualification; used informally as intensifiers
From this reading She stood perfectly listlessly before the coroner, waiting to be questioned, but otherwise not seeming to take the slightest interest in the proceedings.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
proceedingsnounUS /proʊˈsiːdɪŋz/
(law) the institution of a sequence of steps by which legal judgments are invoked
From this reading She stood perfectly listlessly before the coroner, waiting to be questioned, but otherwise not seeming to take the slightest interest in the proceedings.
past form of “question” — challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading She stood perfectly listlessly before the coroner, waiting to be questioned, but otherwise not seeming to take the slightest interest in the proceedings.
plural of “question” — an instance of questioning
From this reading In an even, toneless voice she told her name, age, and status, then waited for further questions.
ringsnounUS /rɪŋz/
gymnastic apparatus consisting of a pair of heavy metal circles (usually covered with leather) suspended by ropes; used for gymnastic exercises
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
seemingadjectiveUS /ˈsiːmɪŋ/
appearing as such but not necessarily so
From this reading She stood perfectly listlessly before the coroner, waiting to be questioned, but otherwise not seeming to take the slightest interest in the proceedings.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
superlative of “slight” — (quantifier used with mass nouns) small in quantity or degree; not much or almost none or (with “a”) at least some
From this reading She stood perfectly listlessly before the coroner, waiting to be questioned, but otherwise not seeming to take the slightest interest in the proceedings.
statusnounUS /ˈstætəs/
the relative position or standing of things or especially persons in a society
From this reading In an even, toneless voice she told her name, age, and status, then waited for further questions.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading She stood perfectly listlessly before the coroner, waiting to be questioned, but otherwise not seeming to take the slightest interest in the proceedings.
carry out
From this reading She stood perfectly listlessly before the coroner, waiting to be questioned, but otherwise not seeming to take the slightest interest in the proceedings.
the cardinal number that is the sum of nine and one; the base of the decimal system
From this reading “‘Your father went out a little before ten o’clock on Tuesday night last, did he not?’ asked the coroner very kindly.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading In an even, toneless voice she told her name, age, and status, then waited for further questions.
a special situation
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading In an even, toneless voice she told her name, age, and status, then waited for further questions.
tonelessadjective
lacking in tone or expression
From this reading In an even, toneless voice she told her name, age, and status, then waited for further questions.
a source of difficulty
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
TuesdaynounUS /ˈtuːzdi/
the third day of the week; the second working day
From this reading “‘Your father went out a little before ten o’clock on Tuesday night last, did he not?’ asked the coroner very kindly.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
precisely as stated
From this reading “‘Your father went out a little before ten o’clock on Tuesday night last, did he not?’ asked the coroner very kindly.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading In an even, toneless voice she told her name, age, and status, then waited for further questions.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading In an even, toneless voice she told her name, age, and status, then waited for further questions.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading She stood perfectly listlessly before the coroner, waiting to be questioned, but otherwise not seeming to take the slightest interest in the proceedings.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading “‘Your father went out a little before ten o’clock on Tuesday night last, did he not?’ asked the coroner very kindly.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
which person or people
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
wizenedadjectiveUS /ˈwaɪzənd/
lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
wroughtadjectiveUS /rɔːt/
shaped to fit by or as if by altering the contours of a pliable mass (as by work or effort)
From this reading “It was difficult to imagine that Mary Newton could ever have been pretty; trouble had obviously wrought sad havoc with her good looks; she was now a wizened little thing, with dark rings under her eyes, and a pale, anæmic complexion.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “You may imagine,” continued the man in the corner, after a slight pause, “with what palpitating interest we all watched the pathetic little figure, clad in deep black, who now stepped forward to give evidence.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “‘Your father went out a little before ten o’clock on Tuesday night last, did he not?’ asked the coroner very kindly.
