used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
attendingnounUS /əˈtendɪŋ/
the process whereby a person concentrates on some features of the environment to the (relative) exclusion of others
From this reading "He has been lured into attending some secret conclave of Italian scientists.
Barnard
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There she encountered Barnard.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading "I have just been speaking to your husband," he said, greeting her with a smile.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
made or become different in nature or form
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
Clodagh's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
conclavenounUS /ˈkɑːnkleɪv/
a confidential or secret meeting
From this reading "He has been lured into attending some secret conclave of Italian scientists.
the main meal of the day served in the evening or at midday
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
put on clothes
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
encounteredverbUS /ɪnˈkaʊntərd/
past form of “encounter” — come together
From this reading There she encountered Barnard.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
divisible by two
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
feverishadjectiveUS /ˈfiːvərɪʃ/
marked by intense agitation or emotion
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
finaladjectiveUS /ˈfaɪnəl/
occurring at or forming an end or termination
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
the act of giving
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
greetingnounUS /ˈɡriːtɪŋ/
(usually plural) an acknowledgment or expression of good will (especially on meeting)
From this reading "I have just been speaking to your husband," he said, greeting her with a smile.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "He has been lured into attending some secret conclave of Italian scientists.
overly eager speed (and possible carelessness)
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "I have just been speaking to your husband," he said, greeting her with a smile.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I have just been speaking to your husband," he said, greeting her with a smile.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
a building where travelers can pay for lodging and meals and other services
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
moving rapidly or performed quickly or in great haste
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
a married man; a woman's partner in marriage
From this reading "I have just been speaking to your husband," he said, greeting her with a smile.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I have just been speaking to your husband," he said, greeting her with a smile.
inexplicableadjectiveUS /ˌɪnəkˈsplɪsəbəl/
incapable of being explained or accounted for
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
a native or inhabitant of Italy
From this reading "He has been lured into attending some secret conclave of Italian scientists.
and nothing more
From this reading "I have just been speaking to your husband," he said, greeting her with a smile.
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 She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
luredverbUS /lʊrd/
past form of “lure” — provoke someone to do something through (often false or exaggerated) promises or persuasion
From this reading "He has been lured into attending some secret conclave of Italian scientists.
mirrornounUS /ˈmɪrər/
polished surface that forms images by reflecting light
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
not any; not one
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "He has been lured into attending some secret conclave of Italian scientists.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
inflected form of “run” — move fast by using one's feet, with one foot off the ground at any given time
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I have just been speaking to your husband," he said, greeting her with a smile.
only a very short time before
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
scientistsnounUS /ˈsaɪəntɪsts/
plural of “scientist” — a person with advanced knowledge of one or more sciences
From this reading "He has been lured into attending some secret conclave of Italian scientists.
Something that is kept or meant to be kept unknown or unseen by others.
From this reading "He has been lured into attending some secret conclave of Italian scientists.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading "I have just been speaking to your husband," he said, greeting her with a smile.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading "He has been lured into attending some secret conclave of Italian scientists.
the utterance of intelligible speech
From this reading "I have just been speaking to your husband," he said, greeting her with a smile.
carry out
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
in or at that place or location
From this reading There she encountered Barnard.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
on a floor above
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
the act of waiting (remaining inactive in one place while expecting something)
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Clodagh's mood was inexplicable even to herself as she entered the hotel, ran upstairs to her own room, and began to dress for dinner.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She changed her dress with an almost feverish haste, giving herself no time for thought; and then, scarcely waiting to take a final look into the mirror, left the room and hurried down into the hall.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I have just been speaking to your husband," he said, greeting her with a smile.
