used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading And deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
(psychiatry) a relatively permanent state of worry and nervousness occurring in a variety of mental disorders, usually accompanied by compulsive behavior or attacks of panic
From this reading And deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
on or to one side
From this reading And deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
brought into existence
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
commencingverbUS /kəˈmensɪŋ/
-ing form of “commence” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
commissionsnounUS /kəˈmɪʃənz/
plural of “commission” — a special group delegated to consider some matter
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
to a great depth psychologically or emotionally
From this reading And deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
plural of “difficulty” — an effort that is inconvenient
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
lacking in liveliness or animation
From this reading And deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
all through a period, or at some point within it
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
executeverbUS /ˈeksəkjuːt/
kill as a means of socially sanctioned punishment
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
of concern to or concerning the affairs of other nations (other than your own)
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
the cardinal number that is the sum of three and one
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
givenadjectiveUS /ˈɡɪvən/
acknowledged as a supposition
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
importuneverb
beg persistently and urgently
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
increasingadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈkriːsɪŋ/
becoming greater or larger
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
inexplicableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnəkˈsplɪsəbəl/
incapable of being explained or accounted for
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
involvedadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈvɑːlvd/
connected by participation or association or use
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
set down according to a plan
From this reading And deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
morningsnounUS /ˈmɔːrnɪŋz/
plural of “morning” — the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
Neville
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
paintingnounUS /ˈpeɪntɪŋ/
graphic art consisting of an artistic composition made by applying paints to a surface
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
a word picture of a person's appearance and character
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion
From this reading And deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
just preceding something else in time or order
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
resultsnounUS /rɪˈzʌlts/
plural of “result” — a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
self-confidencenounUS /ˌselfˈkɑːnfədəns/
freedom from doubt; belief in yourself and your abilities
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
SeptembernounUS /sepˈtembər/
the month following August and preceding October
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
studionounUS /ˈstuːdioʊ/
workplace for the teaching or practice of an art
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
technicaladjectiveUS /ˈteknɪkəl/
of or relating to technique or proficiency in a practical skill
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
timiditynounUS /təˈmɪdəti/
fear of the unknown or unfamiliar or fear of making decisions
From this reading But the painting of it involved him in difficulties entirely foreign to him--difficulties born of technical timidity of the increasing and inexplicable lack of self-confidence.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
unreasoningadjectiveUS /ənˈriːznɪŋ/
not based on reason or evidence
From this reading And deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
Valerie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
the countries of (originally) Europe and (now including) North America and South America
From this reading Neville had begun to see less and less of Valerie West.
at the time that
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading When she first returned from the country in September she had come to the studio and had given him three or four mornings on the portrait which he had begun during the previous summer.
which person or people
From this reading Those who had given him commissions to execute were commencing to importune him for results.
worriedadjectiveUS /ˈwɜːrid/
afflicted with or marked by anxious uneasiness or trouble or grief
From this reading And deeply worried, he laid it aside, A dull, unreasoning anxiety possessed him.
