used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading “Is that the vicar?” said a faint voice.
admiredadjectiveUS /ədˈmaɪərd/
regarded with admiration
From this reading Mr. Perry-Hennington said reassuringly that it was, and entered briskly, with that air of decision the old ladies of the parish greatly admired.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading Mr. Perry-Hennington said reassuringly that it was, and entered briskly, with that air of decision the old ladies of the parish greatly admired.
in addition
From this reading But they were also full of suffering, and the vicar, at heart genuinely kind, was struck by it at once.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A puny, white-haired woman was seated in an armchair in the chimney corner, with a shawl over her shoulders.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mr. Perry-Hennington said reassuringly that it was, and entered briskly, with that air of decision the old ladies of the parish greatly admired.
armchairnounUS /ˈɑːrmtʃer/
chair with a support on each side for arms
From this reading A puny, white-haired woman was seated in an armchair in the chimney corner, with a shawl over her shoulders.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But they were also full of suffering, and the vicar, at heart genuinely kind, was struck by it at once.
brisklyadverbUS /ˈbrɪskli/
in a brisk manner
From this reading Mr. Perry-Hennington said reassuringly that it was, and entered briskly, with that air of decision the old ladies of the parish greatly admired.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But they were also full of suffering, and the vicar, at heart genuinely kind, was struck by it at once.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading But they were also full of suffering, and the vicar, at heart genuinely kind, was struck by it at once.
chimneynounUS /ˈtʃɪmni/
a vertical flue that provides a path through which smoke from a fire is carried away through the wall or roof of a building
From this reading A puny, white-haired woman was seated in an armchair in the chimney corner, with a shawl over her shoulders.
a place off to the side of an area
From this reading A puny, white-haired woman was seated in an armchair in the chimney corner, with a shawl over her shoulders.
the act of making up your mind about something
From this reading Mr. Perry-Hennington said reassuringly that it was, and entered briskly, with that air of decision the old ladies of the parish greatly admired.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading Mr. Perry-Hennington said reassuringly that it was, and entered briskly, with that air of decision the old ladies of the parish greatly admired.
opinion or judgment
From this reading She had the pinched, wistful look of the permanent invalid, yet the peaked face and the vivid eyes had great intelligence.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading She had the pinched, wistful look of the permanent invalid, yet the peaked face and the vivid eyes had great intelligence.
deficient in magnitude; barely perceptible; lacking clarity or brightness or loudness etc
From this reading “Is that the vicar?” said a faint voice.
containing as much or as many as is possible or normal
From this reading But they were also full of suffering, and the vicar, at heart genuinely kind, was struck by it at once.
genuinelyadverbUS /ˈdʒenjəwənli/
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading But they were also full of suffering, and the vicar, at heart genuinely kind, was struck by it at once.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading She had the pinched, wistful look of the permanent invalid, yet the peaked face and the vivid eyes had great intelligence.
to an extraordinary extent or degree
From this reading Mr. Perry-Hennington said reassuringly that it was, and entered briskly, with that air of decision the old ladies of the parish greatly admired.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had the pinched, wistful look of the permanent invalid, yet the peaked face and the vivid eyes had great intelligence.
the locus of feelings and intuitions
From this reading But they were also full of suffering, and the vicar, at heart genuinely kind, was struck by it at once.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading A puny, white-haired woman was seated in an armchair in the chimney corner, with a shawl over her shoulders.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A puny, white-haired woman was seated in an armchair in the chimney corner, with a shawl over her shoulders.
the ability to comprehend; to understand and profit from experience
From this reading She had the pinched, wistful look of the permanent invalid, yet the peaked face and the vivid eyes had great intelligence.
invalidnounUS /ˈɪnvələd/
someone who is incapacitated by a chronic illness or injury
From this reading She had the pinched, wistful look of the permanent invalid, yet the peaked face and the vivid eyes had great intelligence.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading “Is that the vicar?” said a faint voice.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Mr. Perry-Hennington said reassuringly that it was, and entered briskly, with that air of decision the old ladies of the parish greatly admired.
having or showing a tender and considerate and helpful nature; used especially of persons and their behavior
From this reading But they were also full of suffering, and the vicar, at heart genuinely kind, was struck by it at once.
plural of “lady” — a polite name for any woman
From this reading Mr. Perry-Hennington said reassuringly that it was, and entered briskly, with that air of decision the old ladies of the parish greatly admired.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading She had the pinched, wistful look of the permanent invalid, yet the peaked face and the vivid eyes had great intelligence.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr. Perry-Hennington said reassuringly that it was, and entered briskly, with that air of decision the old ladies of the parish greatly admired.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Mr. Perry-Hennington said reassuringly that it was, and entered briskly, with that air of decision the old ladies of the parish greatly admired.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Mr. Perry-Hennington said reassuringly that it was, and entered briskly, with that air of decision the old ladies of the parish greatly admired.
on one occasion
From this reading But they were also full of suffering, and the vicar, at heart genuinely kind, was struck by it at once.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading A puny, white-haired woman was seated in an armchair in the chimney corner, with a shawl over her shoulders.
parishnounUS /ˈpærɪʃ/
a local church community
From this reading Mr. Perry-Hennington said reassuringly that it was, and entered briskly, with that air of decision the old ladies of the parish greatly admired.
peakedadjectiveUS /piːkt/
somewhat ill or prone to illness
From this reading She had the pinched, wistful look of the permanent invalid, yet the peaked face and the vivid eyes had great intelligence.
permanentadjectiveUS /ˈpɜːrmənənt/
continuing or enduring without marked change in status or condition or place
From this reading She had the pinched, wistful look of the permanent invalid, yet the peaked face and the vivid eyes had great intelligence.
Perry-Hennington
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Perry-Hennington said reassuringly that it was, and entered briskly, with that air of decision the old ladies of the parish greatly admired.
pinchedadjectiveUS /pɪntʃt/
sounding as if the nose were pinched
From this reading She had the pinched, wistful look of the permanent invalid, yet the peaked face and the vivid eyes had great intelligence.
punyadjectiveUS /ˈpjuːni/
inferior in strength or significance
From this reading A puny, white-haired woman was seated in an armchair in the chimney corner, with a shawl over her shoulders.
reassuringlyadverbUS /riəˈʃɜːrɪŋli/
in a reassuring manner
From this reading Mr. Perry-Hennington said reassuringly that it was, and entered briskly, with that air of decision the old ladies of the parish greatly admired.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “Is that the vicar?” said a faint voice.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading A puny, white-haired woman was seated in an armchair in the chimney corner, with a shawl over her shoulders.
shawlnounUS /ʃɔːl/
cloak consisting of an oblong piece of cloth used to cover the head and shoulders
From this reading A puny, white-haired woman was seated in an armchair in the chimney corner, with a shawl over her shoulders.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had the pinched, wistful look of the permanent invalid, yet the peaked face and the vivid eyes had great intelligence.
plural of “shoulder” — the part of the body between the neck and the upper arm
From this reading A puny, white-haired woman was seated in an armchair in the chimney corner, with a shawl over her shoulders.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading But they were also full of suffering, and the vicar, at heart genuinely kind, was struck by it at once.
a state of acute pain
From this reading But they were also full of suffering, and the vicar, at heart genuinely kind, was struck by it at once.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading “Is that the vicar?” said a faint voice.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading “Is that the vicar?” said a faint voice.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading But they were also full of suffering, and the vicar, at heart genuinely kind, was struck by it at once.
vicarnounUS /ˈvɪkər/
a Roman Catholic priest who acts for another higher-ranking clergyman
From this reading “Is that the vicar?” said a faint voice.
vividadjectiveUS /ˈvɪvəd/
evoking lifelike images within the mind
From this reading She had the pinched, wistful look of the permanent invalid, yet the peaked face and the vivid eyes had great intelligence.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading “Is that the vicar?” said a faint voice.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Mr. Perry-Hennington said reassuringly that it was, and entered briskly, with that air of decision the old ladies of the parish greatly admired.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading But they were also full of suffering, and the vicar, at heart genuinely kind, was struck by it at once.
white-hairedadjective
showing characteristics of age, especially having grey or white hair
From this reading A puny, white-haired woman was seated in an armchair in the chimney corner, with a shawl over her shoulders.
wistfuladjectiveUS /ˈwɪstfəl/
showing pensive sadness
From this reading She had the pinched, wistful look of the permanent invalid, yet the peaked face and the vivid eyes had great intelligence.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Mr. Perry-Hennington said reassuringly that it was, and entered briskly, with that air of decision the old ladies of the parish greatly admired.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading A puny, white-haired woman was seated in an armchair in the chimney corner, with a shawl over her shoulders.
but in spite of that
From this reading She had the pinched, wistful look of the permanent invalid, yet the peaked face and the vivid eyes had great intelligence.
