used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She was wearing a hat which, so far as he could judge, was almost becoming.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading She was wearing a hat which, so far as he could judge, was almost becoming.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Philip stepped into his own little bedroom and made scanty preparations for this, his first excursion.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She was wearing a hat which, so far as he could judge, was almost becoming.
according with custom or propriety
From this reading She was wearing a hat which, so far as he could judge, was almost becoming.
a room used primarily for sleeping
From this reading Philip stepped into his own little bedroom and made scanty preparations for this, his first excursion.
taking care or paying attention
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
a railcar where passengers ride
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading She was wearing a hat which, so far as he could judge, was almost becoming.
past form of “descend” — move downward and lower, but not necessarily all the way
From this reading Then he made his way down into the shabby hall and was seated there on the worn settee when his guest descended.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Then he made his way down into the shabby hall and was seated there on the worn settee when his guest descended.
put on clothes
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
excursionnounUS /ɪkˈskɜːrʒən/
a journey taken for pleasure
From this reading Philip stepped into his own little bedroom and made scanty preparations for this, his first excursion.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Her eyes were fixed upon his from the moment she stepped from the lift.
to a considerable degree; very much
From this reading She was wearing a hat which, so far as he could judge, was almost becoming.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Philip stepped into his own little bedroom and made scanty preparations for this, his first excursion.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading Her eyes were fixed upon his from the moment she stepped from the lift.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Philip stepped into his own little bedroom and made scanty preparations for this, his first excursion.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Her eyes were fixed upon his from the moment she stepped from the lift.
glovesnounUS /ɡlʌvz/
plural of “glove” — the handwear used by fielders in playing baseball
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
a visitor to whom hospitality is extended
From this reading Then he made his way down into the shabby hall and was seated there on the worn settee when his guest descended.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading Then he made his way down into the shabby hall and was seated there on the worn settee when his guest descended.
headdress that protects the head from bad weather; has shaped crown and usually a brim
From this reading She was wearing a hat which, so far as he could judge, was almost becoming.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Then he made his way down into the shabby hall and was seated there on the worn settee when his guest descended.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Philip stepped into his own little bedroom and made scanty preparations for this, his first excursion.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Philip stepped into his own little bedroom and made scanty preparations for this, his first excursion.
determine the result of (a competition)
From this reading She was wearing a hat which, so far as he could judge, was almost becoming.
raise from a lower to a higher position
From this reading Her eyes were fixed upon his from the moment she stepped from the lift.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Philip stepped into his own little bedroom and made scanty preparations for this, his first excursion.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading Philip stepped into his own little bedroom and made scanty preparations for this, his first excursion.
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 Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
mendingnounUS /ˈmendɪŋ/
garments that must be repaired
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
a particular point in time
From this reading Her eyes were fixed upon his from the moment she stepped from the lift.
neatadjectiveUS /niːt/
clean or organized
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
despite anything to the contrary (usually preceding a concession)
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Then he made his way down into the shabby hall and was seated there on the worn settee when his guest descended.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Philip stepped into his own little bedroom and made scanty preparations for this, his first excursion.
Englishman and husband of Elizabeth II (born 1921)
From this reading Philip stepped into his own little bedroom and made scanty preparations for this, his first excursion.
experiencing or manifesting pleasure
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
polishedadjectiveUS /ˈpɑːlɪʃt/
perfected or made shiny and smooth
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
preparationsnounUS /ˌprepərˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “preparation” — the activity of putting or setting in order in advance of some act or purpose
From this reading Philip stepped into his own little bedroom and made scanty preparations for this, his first excursion.
scantyadjectiveUS /ˈskænti/
lacking in magnitude or quantity
From this reading Philip stepped into his own little bedroom and made scanty preparations for this, his first excursion.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading Then he made his way down into the shabby hall and was seated there on the worn settee when his guest descended.
setteenoun
a long wooden bench with a back
From this reading Then he made his way down into the shabby hall and was seated there on the worn settee when his guest descended.
shabbyadjectiveUS /ˈʃæbi/
showing signs of wear and tear
From this reading Then he made his way down into the shabby hall and was seated there on the worn settee when his guest descended.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was wearing a hat which, so far as he could judge, was almost becoming.
a particular situation
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading She was wearing a hat which, so far as he could judge, was almost becoming.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
inflected form of “step” — shift or move by taking a step
From this reading Philip stepped into his own little bedroom and made scanty preparations for this, his first excursion.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Then he made his way down into the shabby hall and was seated there on the worn settee when his guest descended.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he made his way down into the shabby hall and was seated there on the worn settee when his guest descended.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Then he made his way down into the shabby hall and was seated there on the worn settee when his guest descended.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Philip stepped into his own little bedroom and made scanty preparations for this, his first excursion.
undeniablyadverbUS /ˌʌndɪˈnaɪəbli/
to an undeniable degree or in an undeniable manner
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading Her eyes were fixed upon his from the moment she stepped from the lift.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Then he made his way down into the shabby hall and was seated there on the worn settee when his guest descended.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Then he made his way down into the shabby hall and was seated there on the worn settee when his guest descended.
(geology) the mechanical process of wearing or grinding something down (as by particles washing over it)
From this reading She was wearing a hat which, so far as he could judge, was almost becoming.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Her gloves, notwithstanding their many signs of mending, were neat, her shoes carefully polished, and although her dress was undeniably shabby, there was something in her carriage which pleased him.
at the time that
From this reading Then he made his way down into the shabby hall and was seated there on the worn settee when his guest descended.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading She was wearing a hat which, so far as he could judge, was almost becoming.
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading Then he made his way down into the shabby hall and was seated there on the worn settee when his guest descended.
