used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Staines Court appeared at these times like a ship battened down and running before a storm.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Staines Court appeared at these times like a ship battened down and running before a storm.
a living organism characterized by voluntary movement
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
annualadjectiveUS /ˈænjuːəl/
completing its life cycle within a year
From this reading Sir Peter was having his annual attack of gout.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Staines Court appeared at these times like a ship battened down and running before a storm.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Staines Court appeared at these times like a ship battened down and running before a storm.
(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
From this reading Sir Peter was having his annual attack of gout.
battened
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Staines Court appeared at these times like a ship battened down and running before a storm.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Staines Court appeared at these times like a ship battened down and running before a storm.
treated by heating to a high temperature but below the melting or fusing point
From this reading The room in which Sir Peter sat burned with his language.
butlernounUS /ˈbʌtlər/
a manservant (usually the head servant of a household) who has charge of wines and the table
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
an assembly (including one or more judges) to conduct judicial business
From this reading Staines Court appeared at these times like a ship battened down and running before a storm.
dining-roomnoun
a room used for dining
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Staines Court appeared at these times like a ship battened down and running before a storm.
ejectedverbUS /ɪˈdʒektɪd/
past form of “eject” — put out or expel from a place
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
plural of “figure” — a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Figures of pale and frightened maids flickered through the long passage-ways.
flickeredverbUS /ˈflɪkərd/
past form of “flicker” — move back and forth very rapidly
From this reading Figures of pale and frightened maids flickered through the long passage-ways.
made afraid
From this reading Figures of pale and frightened maids flickered through the long passage-ways.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
goutnounUS /ɡaʊt/
a painful inflammation of the big toe and foot caused by defects in uric acid metabolism resulting in deposits of the acid and its salts in the blood and joints
From this reading Sir Peter was having his annual attack of gout.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading Sir Peter was having his annual attack of gout.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Sir Peter was having his annual attack of gout.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The room in which Sir Peter sat burned with his language.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
lairnounUS /ler/
the habitation of wild animals
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
a systematic means of communicating by the use of sounds or conventional symbols
From this reading The room in which Sir Peter sat burned with his language.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Staines Court appeared at these times like a ship battened down and running before a storm.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Figures of pale and frightened maids flickered through the long passage-ways.
maidsnounUS /meɪdz/
plural of “maid” — a female domestic
From this reading Figures of pale and frightened maids flickered through the long passage-ways.
a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Sir Peter was having his annual attack of gout.
very light colored; highly diluted with white
From this reading Figures of pale and frightened maids flickered through the long passage-ways.
passage-ways
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Figures of pale and frightened maids flickered through the long passage-ways.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope
From this reading Sir Peter was having his annual attack of gout.
portlyadjectiveUS /ˈpɔːrtli/
euphemisms for “fat”
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
prehistoricadjectiveUS /ˌpriːhɪˈstɔːrɪk/
belonging to or existing in times before recorded history
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading The room in which Sir Peter sat burned with his language.
(of fluids) moving or issuing in a stream
From this reading Staines Court appeared at these times like a ship battened down and running before a storm.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading The room in which Sir Peter sat burned with his language.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
transport commercially
From this reading Staines Court appeared at these times like a ship battened down and running before a storm.
term of address for a man
From this reading Sir Peter was having his annual attack of gout.
StainesverbUS /steɪnz/
third-person singular of “stain” — color with a liquid dye or tint
From this reading Staines Court appeared at these times like a ship battened down and running before a storm.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
behave violently, as if in state of a great anger
From this reading Staines Court appeared at these times like a ship battened down and running before a storm.
in a swift manner
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Figures of pale and frightened maids flickered through the long passage-ways.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading Staines Court appeared at these times like a ship battened down and running before a storm.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Figures of pale and frightened maids flickered through the long passage-ways.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading Staines Court appeared at these times like a ship battened down and running before a storm.
ungainlyadjectiveUS /ənˈɡeɪnli/
lacking grace in movement or posture
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
in a violent manner
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Sir Peter was having his annual attack of gout.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The room in which Sir Peter sat burned with his language.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The portly butler violently ejected from the dining-room had been seen passing swiftly through the hall, with the ungainly movement of a prehistoric animal startled from its lair.
