used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading When he had finished he still continued to fumble about the tray, and presently picked up a large, two-tined steel fork and examined it with careful attention.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Then, with a long-drawn sigh, his gaze fell and wandered to the table where stood the remains of my luncheon.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The man did not seem to notice my presence at first.
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading When he had finished he still continued to fumble about the tray, and presently picked up a large, two-tined steel fork and examined it with careful attention.
aviditynoun
a positive feeling of wanting to push ahead with something
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
a glass or plastic vessel used for storing drinks or other liquids; typically cylindrical without handles and with a narrow neck that can be plugged or capped
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
exercising caution or showing care or attention
From this reading When he had finished he still continued to fumble about the tray, and presently picked up a large, two-tined steel fork and examined it with careful attention.
consumingadjectiveUS /kənˈsuːmɪŋ/
very strong; urgently felt
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
gotten under control
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
without stop or interruption
From this reading When he had finished he still continued to fumble about the tray, and presently picked up a large, two-tined steel fork and examined it with careful attention.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading The man did not seem to notice my presence at first.
drainingadjectiveUS /ˈdreɪnɪŋ/
having a debilitating effect
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
dregsnounUS /dreɡz/
sediment that has settled at the bottom of a liquid
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
with eagerness; in an eager manner
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
past form of “examine” — consider in detail and subject to an analysis in order to discover essential features or meaning
From this reading When he had finished he still continued to fumble about the tray, and presently picked up a large, two-tined steel fork and examined it with careful attention.
opinion or judgment
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
cause to fall by or as if by delivering a blow
From this reading Then, with a long-drawn sigh, his gaze fell and wandered to the table where stood the remains of my luncheon.
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading When he had finished he still continued to fumble about the tray, and presently picked up a large, two-tined steel fork and examined it with careful attention.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading The man did not seem to notice my presence at first.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
forknounUS /fɔːrk/
cutlery used for serving and eating food
From this reading When he had finished he still continued to fumble about the tray, and presently picked up a large, two-tined steel fork and examined it with careful attention.
fumbleverbUS /ˈfʌmbəl/
feel about uncertainly or blindly
From this reading When he had finished he still continued to fumble about the tray, and presently picked up a large, two-tined steel fork and examined it with careful attention.
a long fixed look
From this reading Then, with a long-drawn sigh, his gaze fell and wandered to the table where stood the remains of my luncheon.
guardsnounUS /ɡɑːrdz/
plural of “guard” — a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
largeadjectiveUS /lɑːrdʒ/
above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading When he had finished he still continued to fumble about the tray, and presently picked up a large, two-tined steel fork and examined it with careful attention.
immediately past
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
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 For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
long-drawn
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Then, with a long-drawn sigh, his gaze fell and wandered to the table where stood the remains of my luncheon.
luncheonnounUS /ˈlʌntʃən/
a midday meal
From this reading Then, with a long-drawn sigh, his gaze fell and wandered to the table where stood the remains of my luncheon.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading The man did not seem to notice my presence at first.
not in physical motion
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading The man did not seem to notice my presence at first.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The man did not seem to notice my presence at first.
an announcement containing information about an event
From this reading The man did not seem to notice my presence at first.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Then, with a long-drawn sigh, his gaze fell and wandered to the table where stood the remains of my luncheon.
being directly across from each other; facing
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group
From this reading When he had finished he still continued to fumble about the tray, and presently picked up a large, two-tined steel fork and examined it with careful attention.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
pouncedverbUS /paʊnst/
past form of “pounce” — move down on as if in an attack
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading The man did not seem to notice my presence at first.
in the near future
From this reading When he had finished he still continued to fumble about the tray, and presently picked up a large, two-tined steel fork and examined it with careful attention.
past form of “remain” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
any object that is left unused or still extant
From this reading Then, with a long-drawn sigh, his gaze fell and wandered to the table where stood the remains of my luncheon.
scrapnounUS /skræp/
a small fragment of something broken off from the whole
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The man did not seem to notice my presence at first.
heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
From this reading Then, with a long-drawn sigh, his gaze fell and wandered to the table where stood the remains of my luncheon.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
at a steady rate or pace
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
an alloy of iron with small amounts of carbon; widely used in construction; mechanical properties can be varied over a wide range
From this reading When he had finished he still continued to fumble about the tray, and presently picked up a large, two-tined steel fork and examined it with careful attention.
not in physical motion
From this reading When he had finished he still continued to fumble about the tray, and presently picked up a large, two-tined steel fork and examined it with careful attention.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Then, with a long-drawn sigh, his gaze fell and wandered to the table where stood the remains of my luncheon.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Then, with a long-drawn sigh, his gaze fell and wandered to the table where stood the remains of my luncheon.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The man did not seem to notice my presence at first.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Then, with a long-drawn sigh, his gaze fell and wandered to the table where stood the remains of my luncheon.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The man did not seem to notice my presence at first.
traynounUS /treɪ/
an open receptacle for holding or displaying or serving articles or food
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
two-tined
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading When he had finished he still continued to fumble about the tray, and presently picked up a large, two-tined steel fork and examined it with careful attention.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading When he had finished he still continued to fumble about the tray, and presently picked up a large, two-tined steel fork and examined it with careful attention.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
vacantadjectiveUS /ˈveɪkənt/
void of intelligence or thought
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
an architectural partition with a height and length greater than its thickness; used to divide or enclose an area or to support another structure
From this reading For a time he remained motionless in the position the guards had left him, his vacant eyes fixed steadily upon the opposite wall.
past form of “wander” — move about aimlessly or without any destination, often in search of food or employment
From this reading Then, with a long-drawn sigh, his gaze fell and wandered to the table where stood the remains of my luncheon.
at the time that
From this reading When he had finished he still continued to fumble about the tray, and presently picked up a large, two-tined steel fork and examined it with careful attention.
in or at the place that
From this reading Then, with a long-drawn sigh, his gaze fell and wandered to the table where stood the remains of my luncheon.
fermented juice (of grapes especially)
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Then, with a long-drawn sigh, his gaze fell and wandered to the table where stood the remains of my luncheon.
wolflikeadjective
resembling or characteristic (or considered characteristic) of a wolf
From this reading With a wolflike avidity he pounced upon the tray, eagerly consuming every scrap that I had left, and draining a small bottle of wine of the last dregs it contained.
