used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "Beg pardon, Thayer; but can I speak to you for a moment?" he said abruptly.
quickly and without warning
From this reading "Beg pardon, Thayer; but can I speak to you for a moment?" he said abruptly.
absorbedadjectiveUS /əbˈzɔːrbd/
giving or marked by complete attention to
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "May I have the pleasure of taking you to the dining-room?" he asked.
call upon in supplication; entreat
From this reading "Beg pardon, Thayer; but can I speak to you for a moment?" he said abruptly.
BobbynounUS /ˈbɑːbi/
an informal term for a British policeman
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading "Beg pardon, Thayer; but can I speak to you for a moment?" he said abruptly.
to be able to, or to be allowed to
From this reading "Beg pardon, Thayer; but can I speak to you for a moment?" he said abruptly.
DanenounUS /deɪn/
a native or inhabitant of Denmark
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
dining-roomnoun
a room used for dining
From this reading "May I have the pleasure of taking you to the dining-room?" he asked.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "Beg pardon, Thayer; but can I speak to you for a moment?" he said abruptly.
any number of entities (members) considered as a unit
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "May I have the pleasure of taking you to the dining-room?" he asked.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Beg pardon, Thayer; but can I speak to you for a moment?" he said abruptly.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Beg pardon, Thayer; but can I speak to you for a moment?" he said abruptly.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "What is it, Dane?"
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "What is it, Dane?"
become part of; become a member of a group or organization
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
and nothing more
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
location near or direction toward the left side; i.e. the side to the north when a person or object faces east
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading "May I have the pleasure of taking you to the dining-room?" he asked.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
a particular point in time
From this reading "Beg pardon, Thayer; but can I speak to you for a moment?" he said abruptly.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading His uncle turned to Mrs. Stanley with old-fashioned pomposity.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "May I have the pleasure of taking you to the dining-room?" he asked.
old-fashionedadjectiveUS /ˌoʊldˈfæʃənd/
out of fashion
From this reading His uncle turned to Mrs. Stanley with old-fashioned pomposity.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
accept an excuse for
From this reading "Beg pardon, Thayer; but can I speak to you for a moment?" he said abruptly.
a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience
From this reading "May I have the pleasure of taking you to the dining-room?" he asked.
pompositynounUS /ˌpɑːmˈpɑːsɪti/
lack of elegance as a consequence of being pompous and puffed up with vanity
From this reading His uncle turned to Mrs. Stanley with old-fashioned pomposity.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Beg pardon, Thayer; but can I speak to you for a moment?" he said abruptly.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
express in speech
From this reading "Beg pardon, Thayer; but can I speak to you for a moment?" he said abruptly.
StanleynounUS /ˈstænli/
United States inventor who built a steam-powered automobile (1849-1918)
From this reading His uncle turned to Mrs. Stanley with old-fashioned pomposity.
the act of someone who picks up or takes something
From this reading "May I have the pleasure of taking you to the dining-room?" he asked.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
Thayer
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Beg pardon, Thayer; but can I speak to you for a moment?" he said abruptly.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
thresholdnounUS /ˈθreʃoʊld/
the starting point for a new state or experience
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading His uncle turned to Mrs. Stanley with old-fashioned pomposity.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading His uncle turned to Mrs. Stanley with old-fashioned pomposity.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "What is it, Dane?"
which person or people
From this reading So absorbed were they in each other that they failed to see Bobby Dane who met them upon the threshold, on his way to join the group they had just left.
in the company of; together with
From this reading His uncle turned to Mrs. Stanley with old-fashioned pomposity.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Beg pardon, Thayer; but can I speak to you for a moment?" he said abruptly.
