used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
actornounUS /ˈæktər/
a theatrical performer
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
actorsnounUS /ˈæktərz/
plural of “actor” — a theatrical performer
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
adjoiningverbUS /əˈdʒɔɪnɪŋ/
-ing form of “adjoin” — lie adjacent to another or share a boundary
From this reading In the adjoining room, meantime, Rose Summers was passing through her _mauvais quart d’heure_.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
any thing at all
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
a distinct feature or element in a problem
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Cecily was, therefore, unavoidably detained for a few minutes, but would not be long.
bewilderedadjectiveUS /bɪˈwɪldərd/
perplexed by many conflicting situations or statements; filled with bewilderment
From this reading She was bewildered, indignant, uncertain.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Cecily was, therefore, unavoidably detained for a few minutes, but would not be long.
Cecily
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Cecily was, therefore, unavoidably detained for a few minutes, but would not be long.
made or become different in nature or form
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
a person who is in charge
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
d'heure
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the adjoining room, meantime, Rose Summers was passing through her _mauvais quart d’heure_.
take upon oneself; act presumptuously, without permission
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
recognizable; marked
From this reading She decided that she did not dare.
demeanornounUS /dɪˈmiːnər/
(behavioral attributes) the way a person behaves toward other people
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
detainedverbUS /dɪˈteɪnd/
past form of “detain” — deprive of freedom; take into confinement
From this reading Cecily was, therefore, unavoidably detained for a few minutes, but would not be long.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading She decided that she did not dare.
dramanounUS /ˈdrɑːmə/
a dramatic work intended for performance by actors on a stage
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
opinion or judgment
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading Cecily was, therefore, unavoidably detained for a few minutes, but would not be long.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Cecily was, therefore, unavoidably detained for a few minutes, but would not be long.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading In the adjoining room, meantime, Rose Summers was passing through her _mauvais quart d’heure_.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the adjoining room, meantime, Rose Summers was passing through her _mauvais quart d’heure_.
indignantadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdɪɡnənt/
angered at something unjust or wrong
From this reading She was bewildered, indignant, uncertain.
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 Cecily was, therefore, unavoidably detained for a few minutes, but would not be long.
mauvais
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading In the adjoining room, meantime, Rose Summers was passing through her _mauvais quart d’heure_.
the time between one event, process, or period and another
From this reading In the adjoining room, meantime, Rose Summers was passing through her _mauvais quart d’heure_.
a written account of what transpired at a meeting
From this reading Cecily was, therefore, unavoidably detained for a few minutes, but would not be long.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She decided that she did not dare.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
(American football) a play that involves one player throwing the ball to a teammate
From this reading In the adjoining room, meantime, Rose Summers was passing through her _mauvais quart d’heure_.
quartnounUS /kwɔːrt/
a United States liquid unit equal to 32 fluid ounces; four quarts equal one gallon
From this reading In the adjoining room, meantime, Rose Summers was passing through her _mauvais quart d’heure_.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading In the adjoining room, meantime, Rose Summers was passing through her _mauvais quart d’heure_.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading In the adjoining room, meantime, Rose Summers was passing through her _mauvais quart d’heure_.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
express in words
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was bewildered, indignant, uncertain.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
stolidadjectiveUS /ˈstɑːləd/
having or revealing little emotion or sensibility; not easily aroused or excited
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
SummersnounUS /ˈsʌmərz/
plural of “summer” — the warmest season of the year; in the northern hemisphere it extends from the summer solstice to the autumnal equinox
From this reading In the adjoining room, meantime, Rose Summers was passing through her _mauvais quart d’heure_.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She decided that she did not dare.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading In the adjoining room, meantime, Rose Summers was passing through her _mauvais quart d’heure_.
for that reason; as a result
From this reading Cecily was, therefore, unavoidably detained for a few minutes, but would not be long.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading In the adjoining room, meantime, Rose Summers was passing through her _mauvais quart d’heure_.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
tragicadjectiveUS /ˈtrædʒɪk/
very sad; especially involving grief or death or destruction
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
unavoidablyadverbUS /ˌʌnəˈvɔɪdəbli/
by necessity
From this reading Cecily was, therefore, unavoidably detained for a few minutes, but would not be long.
uncertainadjectiveUS /ənˈsɜːrtən/
lacking or indicating lack of confidence or assurance
From this reading She was bewildered, indignant, uncertain.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In the adjoining room, meantime, Rose Summers was passing through her _mauvais quart d’heure_.
which person or people
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Cecily was, therefore, unavoidably detained for a few minutes, but would not be long.
but in spite of that
From this reading The whole aspect of the situation appeared to have changed--yet dare she say anything to one of the chief actors in the drama?--an actor who sat opposite to her with a stolid demeanor and tragic eyes.
