used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a moment before he could touch it.
acted upon; influenced
From this reading The sight of the green-covered volume with Cecily’s name in gilt letters upon it affected him with an odd, unclassified, but very strong emotion.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading Late in the afternoon of the following Tuesday, Robert sat over the fire in his study, reading his wife’s book.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The sight of the green-covered volume with Cecily’s name in gilt letters upon it affected him with an odd, unclassified, but very strong emotion.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading It was a moment before he could touch it.
a written work or composition that has been published (printed on pages bound together)
From this reading Late in the afternoon of the following Tuesday, Robert sat over the fire in his study, reading his wife’s book.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading The sight of the green-covered volume with Cecily’s name in gilt letters upon it affected him with an odd, unclassified, but very strong emotion.
Cecily's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sight of the green-covered volume with Cecily’s name in gilt letters upon it affected him with an odd, unclassified, but very strong emotion.
a team of professional baseball players who play and travel together
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading It was a moment before he could touch it.
any strong feeling
From this reading The sight of the green-covered volume with Cecily’s name in gilt letters upon it affected him with an odd, unclassified, but very strong emotion.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Late in the afternoon of the following Tuesday, Robert sat over the fire in his study, reading his wife’s book.
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
about to be mentioned or specified
From this reading Late in the afternoon of the following Tuesday, Robert sat over the fire in his study, reading his wife’s book.
set up or found
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
giltadjectiveUS /ɡɪlt/
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading The sight of the green-covered volume with Cecily’s name in gilt letters upon it affected him with an odd, unclassified, but very strong emotion.
green-covered
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sight of the green-covered volume with Cecily’s name in gilt letters upon it affected him with an odd, unclassified, but very strong emotion.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The sight of the green-covered volume with Cecily’s name in gilt letters upon it affected him with an odd, unclassified, but very strong emotion.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Late in the afternoon of the following Tuesday, Robert sat over the fire in his study, reading his wife’s book.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Late in the afternoon of the following Tuesday, Robert sat over the fire in his study, reading his wife’s book.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
being or occurring at an advanced period of time or after a usual or expected time
From this reading Late in the afternoon of the following Tuesday, Robert sat over the fire in his study, reading his wife’s book.
the literary culture
From this reading The sight of the green-covered volume with Cecily’s name in gilt letters upon it affected him with an odd, unclassified, but very strong emotion.
lunchingnounUS /ˈlʌntʃɪŋ/
the act of eating lunch
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
a particular point in time
From this reading It was a moment before he could touch it.
assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading The sight of the green-covered volume with Cecily’s name in gilt letters upon it affected him with an odd, unclassified, but very strong emotion.
o'clockadverbUS /əˈklɑːk/
according to the clock
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
not divisible by two
From this reading The sight of the green-covered volume with Cecily’s name in gilt letters upon it affected him with an odd, unclassified, but very strong emotion.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Late in the afternoon of the following Tuesday, Robert sat over the fire in his study, reading his wife’s book.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Late in the afternoon of the following Tuesday, Robert sat over the fire in his study, reading his wife’s book.
the cognitive process of understanding a written linguistic message
From this reading Late in the afternoon of the following Tuesday, Robert sat over the fire in his study, reading his wife’s book.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
United States parliamentary authority and author (in 1876) of Robert's Rules of Order (1837-1923)
From this reading Late in the afternoon of the following Tuesday, Robert sat over the fire in his study, reading his wife’s book.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Late in the afternoon of the following Tuesday, Robert sat over the fire in his study, reading his wife’s book.
an instance of visual perception
From this reading The sight of the green-covered volume with Cecily’s name in gilt letters upon it affected him with an odd, unclassified, but very strong emotion.
in the near future
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
having strength or power greater than average or expected
From this reading The sight of the green-covered volume with Cecily’s name in gilt letters upon it affected him with an odd, unclassified, but very strong emotion.
a detailed critical inspection
From this reading Late in the afternoon of the following Tuesday, Robert sat over the fire in his study, reading his wife’s book.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Late in the afternoon of the following Tuesday, Robert sat over the fire in his study, reading his wife’s book.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then he turned to the title-page.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
title-page
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then he turned to the title-page.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
make physical contact with, come in contact with
From this reading It was a moment before he could touch it.
Travers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
TuesdaynounUS /ˈtuːzdi/
the third day of the week; the second working day
From this reading Late in the afternoon of the following Tuesday, Robert sat over the fire in his study, reading his wife’s book.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading Then he turned to the title-page.
unclassifiedadjectiveUS /ənˈklæsɪfaɪd/
not subject to a security classification
From this reading The sight of the green-covered volume with Cecily’s name in gilt letters upon it affected him with an odd, unclassified, but very strong emotion.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The sight of the green-covered volume with Cecily’s name in gilt letters upon it affected him with an odd, unclassified, but very strong emotion.
precisely as stated
From this reading The sight of the green-covered volume with Cecily’s name in gilt letters upon it affected him with an odd, unclassified, but very strong emotion.
the amount of 3-dimensional space occupied by an object
From this reading The sight of the green-covered volume with Cecily’s name in gilt letters upon it affected him with an odd, unclassified, but very strong emotion.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a moment before he could touch it.
at the time that
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
wife'snounUS /waɪfs/
possessive form of “wife” — a married woman; a man's partner in marriage
From this reading Late in the afternoon of the following Tuesday, Robert sat over the fire in his study, reading his wife’s book.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
writing-table
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had found it on his writing-table, when he returned to the flat soon after three o’clock, after lunching with Travers at his club.
