used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The room--the whole house--was to him a mystery.
highly skilled
From this reading That Desirée had accomplished this in no way astonished him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading For he believed her quite capable of any minor miracle.
appointmentnounUS /əˈpɔɪntmənt/
the act of putting a person into a non-elective position
From this reading Contentedly devoid of taste though he was, the man dimly realized the charm of the place and the dainty perfection of its appointment.
approvalnounUS /əˈpruːvəl/
the formal act of approving
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
filled with the emotional impact of overwhelming surprise or shock
From this reading That Desirée had accomplished this in no way astonished him.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
past form of “believe” — accept as true; take to be true
From this reading For he believed her quite capable of any minor miracle.
(usually followed by “of”) having capacity or ability
From this reading For he believed her quite capable of any minor miracle.
attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates
From this reading Contentedly devoid of taste though he was, the man dimly realized the charm of the place and the dainty perfection of its appointment.
Conover
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
ContentedlyadverbUS /kənˈtentədli/
with equanimity
From this reading Contentedly devoid of taste though he was, the man dimly realized the charm of the place and the dainty perfection of its appointment.
daintyadjectiveUS /ˈdeɪnti/
delicately beautiful
From this reading Contentedly devoid of taste though he was, the man dimly realized the charm of the place and the dainty perfection of its appointment.
Desirée
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
devoidadjectiveUS /dɪˈvɔɪd/
completely wanting or lacking
From this reading Contentedly devoid of taste though he was, the man dimly realized the charm of the place and the dainty perfection of its appointment.
dimlyadverbUS /ˈdɪmli/
in a dim indistinct manner
From this reading Contentedly devoid of taste though he was, the man dimly realized the charm of the place and the dainty perfection of its appointment.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For he believed her quite capable of any minor miracle.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
furnishingsnounUS /ˈfɜːrnɪʃɪŋz/
plural of “furnishing” — (usually plural) accessory wearing apparel
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
a young female
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
throw a glance at; take a brief look at
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading That Desirée had accomplished this in no way astonished him.
haltingadjectiveUS /ˈhɔːltɪŋ/
disabled in the feet or legs
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Contentedly devoid of taste though he was, the man dimly realized the charm of the place and the dainty perfection of its appointment.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading For he believed her quite capable of any minor miracle.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The room--the whole house--was to him a mystery.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
itemnounUS /ˈaɪtəm/
a distinct part that can be specified separately in a group of things that could be enumerated on a list
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
lounged
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Contentedly devoid of taste though he was, the man dimly realized the charm of the place and the dainty perfection of its appointment.
minoradjectiveUS /ˈmaɪnər/
of lesser importance or stature or rank
From this reading For he believed her quite capable of any minor miracle.
miraclenounUS /ˈmɪrəkəl/
any amazing or wonderful occurrence
From this reading For he believed her quite capable of any minor miracle.
something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained
From this reading The room--the whole house--was to him a mystery.
not any; not one
From this reading That Desirée had accomplished this in no way astonished him.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
perfectionnounUS /pərˈfekʃən/
the state of being without a flaw or defect
From this reading Contentedly devoid of taste though he was, the man dimly realized the charm of the place and the dainty perfection of its appointment.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading Contentedly devoid of taste though he was, the man dimly realized the charm of the place and the dainty perfection of its appointment.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
filled with bewilderment
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading For he believed her quite capable of any minor miracle.
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading Contentedly devoid of taste though he was, the man dimly realized the charm of the place and the dainty perfection of its appointment.
receptionnounUS /rɪˈsepʃən/
the manner in which something is greeted
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
Shevlin's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
To perceive flavor through the mouth.
From this reading Contentedly devoid of taste though he was, the man dimly realized the charm of the place and the dainty perfection of its appointment.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That Desirée had accomplished this in no way astonished him.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading That Desirée had accomplished this in no way astonished him.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Contentedly devoid of taste though he was, the man dimly realized the charm of the place and the dainty perfection of its appointment.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The room--the whole house--was to him a mystery.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading That Desirée had accomplished this in no way astonished him.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading The room--the whole house--was to him a mystery.
in the company of; together with
From this reading THE GIRL Conover lounged back and forth in the pretty little reception room of Desirée Shevlin’s house, halting now and then to glance with puzzled approval at some item of its furnishings.
