used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading "My delaying policy was a good one.
quickly and without warning
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading At half-past twelve Sumner came alone and was shown up to me.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading At half-past twelve Sumner came alone and was shown up to me.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading At half-past twelve Sumner came alone and was shown up to me.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading At half-past twelve Sumner came alone and was shown up to me.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading He had evidently expected me to open with some sort of question and he had come ready loaded with a reply.
delayingverbUS /dɪˈleɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “delay” — cause to be slowed down or delayed
From this reading "My delaying policy was a good one.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading "For some moments he did not speak.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
unmistakably (“plain” is often used informally for “plainly”)
From this reading He had evidently expected me to open with some sort of question and he had come ready loaded with a reply.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading He had evidently expected me to open with some sort of question and he had come ready loaded with a reply.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading "My delaying policy was a good one.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had evidently expected me to open with some sort of question and he had come ready loaded with a reply.
half-past
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At half-past twelve Sumner came alone and was shown up to me.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "For some moments he did not speak.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
leantverbUS /ˈliːənt/
inflected form of “lean” — to incline or bend from a vertical position
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
loadedadjectiveUS /ˈloʊdɪd/
filled with a great quantity
From this reading He had evidently expected me to open with some sort of question and he had come ready loaded with a reply.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading At half-past twelve Sumner came alone and was shown up to me.
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading "For some moments he did not speak.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "My delaying policy was a good one.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "For some moments he did not speak.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had evidently expected me to open with some sort of question and he had come ready loaded with a reply.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "My delaying policy was a good one.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading He had evidently expected me to open with some sort of question and he had come ready loaded with a reply.
policynounUS /ˈpɑːləsi/
a plan of action adopted by an individual or social group
From this reading "My delaying policy was a good one.
challenge the accuracy, probity, or propriety of
From this reading He had evidently expected me to open with some sort of question and he had come ready loaded with a reply.
completely prepared or in condition for immediate action or use or progress
From this reading He had evidently expected me to open with some sort of question and he had come ready loaded with a reply.
a statement (either spoken or written) that is made to reply to a question or request or criticism or accusation
From this reading He had evidently expected me to open with some sort of question and he had come ready loaded with a reply.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
inflected form of “show” — give an exhibition of to an interested audience
From this reading At half-past twelve Sumner came alone and was shown up to me.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
be seated
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading "For some moments he did not speak.
a category of things distinguished by some common characteristic or quality
From this reading He had evidently expected me to open with some sort of question and he had come ready loaded with a reply.
express in speech
From this reading "For some moments he did not speak.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
SumnernounUS /ˈsʌmnər/
United States sociologist (1840-1910)
From this reading At half-past twelve Sumner came alone and was shown up to me.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading At half-past twelve Sumner came alone and was shown up to me.
the cardinal number that is the sum of eleven and one
From this reading At half-past twelve Sumner came alone and was shown up to me.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading At half-past twelve Sumner came alone and was shown up to me.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading "'Sit down there,' I said abruptly and leant back in my chair and stared at his face and waited in silence for him to begin.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "My delaying policy was a good one.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He had evidently expected me to open with some sort of question and he had come ready loaded with a reply.
