used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The orchestra was playing a Viennese waltz and couple after couple slipped out upon the floor.
AdventurousadjectiveUS /ædˈventʃərəs/
willing to undertake or seeking out new and daring enterprises
From this reading Adventurous spirits were circulating.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading The orchestra was playing a Viennese waltz and couple after couple slipped out upon the floor.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
banternounUS /ˈbæntər/
light teasing repartee
From this reading Voices, lowered and guarded, began to engage in nervous, tittering banter....
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Voices, lowered and guarded, began to engage in nervous, tittering banter....
belatedlyadverbUS /bɪˈleɪtədli/
later than usual or than expected
From this reading Laughter, belatedly smothered, flared to betrayals....
betrayalsnounUS /bɪˈtreɪəlz/
plural of “betrayal” — an act of deliberate betrayal
From this reading Laughter, belatedly smothered, flared to betrayals....
Circassiannoun
a member of the Sunni Muslim people living in northwestern Caucasia
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
circulatingadjectiveUS /ˈsɜːrkjəleɪtɪŋ/
passing from one to another
From this reading Adventurous spirits were circulating.
anything that covers or conceals
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
confrontingverbUS /kənˈfrʌntɪŋ/
-ing form of “confront” — oppose, as in hostility or a competition
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
a pair who associate with one another
From this reading The orchestra was playing a Viennese waltz and couple after couple slipped out upon the floor.
a state in which you want to learn more about something
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
defiancenounUS /dɪˈfaɪəns/
intentionally contemptuous behavior or attitude
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
emergingadjectiveUS /ɪˈmɜːrdʒɪŋ/
coming to maturity
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
engageverbUS /enˈɡeɪdʒ/
carry out or participate in an activity; be involved in
From this reading Voices, lowered and guarded, began to engage in nervous, tittering banter....
quickly or rapidly (often used as a combining form)
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
flaredverbUS /flerd/
past form of “flare” — burn brightly
From this reading Laughter, belatedly smothered, flared to betrayals....
the inside lower horizontal surface (as of a room, hallway, tent, or other structure)
From this reading The orchestra was playing a Viennese waltz and couple after couple slipped out upon the floor.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
guardedadjectiveUS /ˈɡɑːrdəd/
prudent
From this reading Voices, lowered and guarded, began to engage in nervous, tittering banter....
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
Juliets
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
plural of “knight” — originally a person of noble birth trained to arms and chivalry; today in Great Britain a person honored by the sovereign for personal merit
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
the sound of laughing
From this reading Laughter, belatedly smothered, flared to betrayals....
raise from a lower to a higher position
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
loweredadjectiveUS /ˈloʊərd/
below the surround or below the normal position
From this reading Voices, lowered and guarded, began to engage in nervous, tittering banter....
masksnounUS /mæsks/
plural of “mask” — a covering to disguise or conceal the face
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
MoorsnounUS /mʊrz/
plural of “moor” — one of the Muslim people of north Africa; of mixed Arab and Berber descent; converted to Islam in the 8th century; conqueror of Spain in the 8th century
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
easily agitated
From this reading Voices, lowered and guarded, began to engage in nervous, tittering banter....
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
orchestranounUS /ˈɔːrkəstrə/
a musical organization consisting of a group of instrumentalists including string players
From this reading The orchestra was playing a Viennese waltz and couple after couple slipped out upon the floor.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading The orchestra was playing a Viennese waltz and couple after couple slipped out upon the floor.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading The orchestra was playing a Viennese waltz and couple after couple slipped out upon the floor.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
sheepishadjectiveUS /ˈʃiːpɪʃ/
like or suggestive of a sheep in docility or stupidity or meekness or timidity
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
plural of “slave” — a person who is owned by someone
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
inflected form of “slip” — move stealthily
From this reading The orchestra was playing a Viennese waltz and couple after couple slipped out upon the floor.
smotheredadjectiveUS /ˈsmʌðərd/
held in check with difficulty
From this reading Laughter, belatedly smothered, flared to betrayals....
an alcoholic beverage that is distilled rather than fermented
From this reading Adventurous spirits were circulating.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The orchestra was playing a Viennese waltz and couple after couple slipped out upon the floor.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
titteringadjective
being or sounding of nervous or suppressed laughter
From this reading Voices, lowered and guarded, began to engage in nervous, tittering banter....
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Voices, lowered and guarded, began to engage in nervous, tittering banter....
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The orchestra was playing a Viennese waltz and couple after couple slipped out upon the floor.
VienneseadjectiveUS /viˈeniːs/
of or relating to or characteristic of Vienna or its inhabitants
From this reading The orchestra was playing a Viennese waltz and couple after couple slipped out upon the floor.
plural of “voice” — the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading Voices, lowered and guarded, began to engage in nervous, tittering banter....
waltznounUS /wɔːlts/
an assured victory (especially in an election)
From this reading The orchestra was playing a Viennese waltz and couple after couple slipped out upon the floor.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The orchestra was playing a Viennese waltz and couple after couple slipped out upon the floor.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Moors and Juliets and Circassian slaves and Knights at Arms were fast emerging from lift or cloak room, and confronting each other through their masks in sheepish defiance and curiosity.
