used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A man was standing behind it.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The French window had been opened at least eight inches, and the man stood partly in the aperture and partly in the room.
aperturenounUS /ˈæpərtʃər/
a device that controls amount of light admitted
From this reading The French window had been opened at least eight inches, and the man stood partly in the aperture and partly in the room.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The French window had been opened at least eight inches, and the man stood partly in the aperture and partly in the room.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The French window had been opened at least eight inches, and the man stood partly in the aperture and partly in the room.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading A man was standing behind it.
of the color intermediate between green and violet; having a color similar to that of a clear unclouded sky
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
clothing in general
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading He did not flinch.
having the place or position changed
From this reading He did not even seem scared, nor yet disturbed.
earth-stains
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
being one more than seven
From this reading The French window had been opened at least eight inches, and the man stood partly in the aperture and partly in the room.
divisible by two
From this reading He did not even seem scared, nor yet disturbed.
evidencesnounUS /ˈevədənsəz/
plural of “evidence” — your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
excitingadjectiveUS /ɪkˈsaɪtɪŋ/
creating or arousing excitement
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
flinchverbUS /flɪntʃ/
draw back, as with fear or pain
From this reading He did not flinch.
the Romance language spoken in France and in countries colonized by France
From this reading The French window had been opened at least eight inches, and the man stood partly in the aperture and partly in the room.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The French window had been opened at least eight inches, and the man stood partly in the aperture and partly in the room.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He did not flinch.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The French window had been opened at least eight inches, and the man stood partly in the aperture and partly in the room.
plural of “inch” — a unit of length equal to one twelfth of a foot
From this reading The French window had been opened at least eight inches, and the man stood partly in the aperture and partly in the room.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A man was standing behind it.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading The French window had been opened at least eight inches, and the man stood partly in the aperture and partly in the room.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A man was standing behind it.
middle-agedadjectiveUS /ˈmɪdəleɪɡd/
being roughly between 45 and 65 years old
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
and not; used after a negative to add a second negative
From this reading He did not even seem scared, nor yet disturbed.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He did not flinch.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading The French window had been opened at least eight inches, and the man stood partly in the aperture and partly in the room.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
to some extent; in some degree; not wholly
From this reading The French window had been opened at least eight inches, and the man stood partly in the aperture and partly in the room.
on the contrary
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The French window had been opened at least eight inches, and the man stood partly in the aperture and partly in the room.
experiencing or showing sorrow or unhappiness
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
scaredadjectiveUS /skerd/
made afraid
From this reading He did not even seem scared, nor yet disturbed.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading He did not even seem scared, nor yet disturbed.
past form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
having a supporting base
From this reading A man was standing behind it.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The French window had been opened at least eight inches, and the man stood partly in the aperture and partly in the room.
be agreeable or acceptable to
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The French window had been opened at least eight inches, and the man stood partly in the aperture and partly in the room.
acting with or marked by or resulting from great force or energy or emotional intensity
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A man was standing behind it.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading The French window had been opened at least eight inches, and the man stood partly in the aperture and partly in the room.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
inflected form of “wear” — be dressed in
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
Damaged or thinned by continuous use.
From this reading He was a middle-aged man, with grey hair, and a worn, rather sad face, and he wore a blue suit of clothes, which showed earth-stains and other evidences of an exciting and violent life.
but in spite of that
From this reading He did not even seem scared, nor yet disturbed.
