used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He was about my own age, but a little shorter and slighter, clean-shaven, with dark eyes and thick, black hair.
how long something has existed
From this reading He was about my own age, but a little shorter and slighter, clean-shaven, with dark eyes and thick, black hair.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading He was about my own age, but a little shorter and slighter, clean-shaven, with dark eyes and thick, black hair.
bravadonounUS /brəˈvɑːdoʊ/
a swaggering show of courage
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
bronzedadjectiveUS /brɑːnzd/
(of skin) having a tan color from exposure to the sun
From this reading Though handsome in a way, the stamp of an evil and unscrupulous nature was on his bronzed features.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading He was about my own age, but a little shorter and slighter, clean-shaven, with dark eyes and thick, black hair.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
clean-shavenadjective
closely shaved recently
From this reading He was about my own age, but a little shorter and slighter, clean-shaven, with dark eyes and thick, black hair.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading He was about my own age, but a little shorter and slighter, clean-shaven, with dark eyes and thick, black hair.
the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
put on clothes
From this reading His dress was that of a gentleman.
morally objectionable behavior
From this reading Though handsome in a way, the stamp of an evil and unscrupulous nature was on his bronzed features.
EXPLANATIONSnounUS /ˌekspləˈneɪʃənz/
plural of “explanation” — a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.
From this reading MUTUAL EXPLANATIONS.
opinion or judgment
From this reading He was about my own age, but a little shorter and slighter, clean-shaven, with dark eyes and thick, black hair.
plural of “feature” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading Though handsome in a way, the stamp of an evil and unscrupulous nature was on his bronzed features.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
a man of refinement
From this reading His dress was that of a gentleman.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
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 about my own age, but a little shorter and slighter, clean-shaven, with dark eyes and thick, black hair.
pleasing in appearance especially by reason of conformity to ideals of form and proportion
From this reading Though handsome in a way, the stamp of an evil and unscrupulous nature was on his bronzed features.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Though handsome in a way, the stamp of an evil and unscrupulous nature was on his bronzed features.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Though handsome in a way, the stamp of an evil and unscrupulous nature was on his bronzed features.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading He was about my own age, but a little shorter and slighter, clean-shaven, with dark eyes and thick, black hair.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
MUTUALadjectiveUS /ˈmjuːtʃuːəl/
common to or shared by two or more parties
From this reading MUTUAL EXPLANATIONS.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading He was about my own age, but a little shorter and slighter, clean-shaven, with dark eyes and thick, black hair.
the essential qualities or characteristics by which something is recognized
From this reading Though handsome in a way, the stamp of an evil and unscrupulous nature was on his bronzed features.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Though handsome in a way, the stamp of an evil and unscrupulous nature was on his bronzed features.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading He was about my own age, but a little shorter and slighter, clean-shaven, with dark eyes and thick, black hair.
with speed
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
shorteradjectiveUS /ˈʃɔːrtər/
comparative of “short” — primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading He was about my own age, but a little shorter and slighter, clean-shaven, with dark eyes and thick, black hair.
slighter
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was about my own age, but a little shorter and slighter, clean-shaven, with dark eyes and thick, black hair.
stampverbUS /stæmp/
walk heavily
From this reading Though handsome in a way, the stamp of an evil and unscrupulous nature was on his bronzed features.
at a steady rate or pace
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading His dress was that of a gentleman.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Though handsome in a way, the stamp of an evil and unscrupulous nature was on his bronzed features.
not thin; of a specific thickness or of relatively great extent from one surface to the opposite usually in the smallest of the three solid dimensions
From this reading He was about my own age, but a little shorter and slighter, clean-shaven, with dark eyes and thick, black hair.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Though handsome in a way, the stamp of an evil and unscrupulous nature was on his bronzed features.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
unscrupulousadjectiveUS /ənˈskruːpjələs/
without scruples or principles
From this reading Though handsome in a way, the stamp of an evil and unscrupulous nature was on his bronzed features.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading He was about my own age, but a little shorter and slighter, clean-shaven, with dark eyes and thick, black hair.
the act of observing; taking a patient look
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Though handsome in a way, the stamp of an evil and unscrupulous nature was on his bronzed features.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
in or at the place that
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
in the company of; together with
From this reading From a distance a man had been watching us steadily--I had observed him before--and now he came quickly and with an air of bravado to where we stood.
