used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading We rose up as stealthily as burglars and stole across the carpet without making so much as a creak or a rustle.
filled with fear or apprehension
From this reading We sat, afraid to speak, staring at each other and wondering what was going to happen next.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
answeringadjectiveUS /ˈænsərɪŋ/
replying
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
the verbal act of requesting
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
beckonedverbUS /ˈbekənd/
past form of “beckon” — signal with the hands or nod
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
a small piece or quantity of something
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
burglarsnounUS /ˈbɜːrɡlərz/
plural of “burglar” — a thief who enters a building with intent to steal
From this reading We rose up as stealthily as burglars and stole across the carpet without making so much as a creak or a rustle.
make calm or still
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
carpetnounUS /ˈkɑːrpət/
floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading We rose up as stealthily as burglars and stole across the carpet without making so much as a creak or a rustle.
an employee who performs clerical work (e.g., keeps records or accounts)
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
creakverbUS /kriːk/
make a high-pitched, screeching noise
From this reading We rose up as stealthily as burglars and stole across the carpet without making so much as a creak or a rustle.
distancesnounUS /ˈdɪstənsəz/
plural of “distance” — the property created by the space between two objects or points
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
every one of two or more people or things, taken separately
From this reading We sat, afraid to speak, staring at each other and wondering what was going to happen next.
FerryverbUS /ˈferi/
transport from one place to another
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
fluentadjectiveUS /ˈfluːənt/
smooth and unconstrained in movement
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
the act of departing
From this reading We sat, afraid to speak, staring at each other and wondering what was going to happen next.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
come to pass
From this reading We sat, afraid to speak, staring at each other and wondering what was going to happen next.
only a very short time before
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
he'd
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
Hesketh's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
apprehended with certainty
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
diode such that light emitted at a p-n junction is proportional to the bias current; color depends on the material used
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
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 When we were in he shut the door, told us to wait there, and left us.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading We rose up as stealthily as burglars and stole across the carpet without making so much as a creak or a rustle.
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
an area that is approximately central within some larger region
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
a form of address for a man
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading We rose up as stealthily as burglars and stole across the carpet without making so much as a creak or a rustle.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading We sat, afraid to speak, staring at each other and wondering what was going to happen next.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading We rose up as stealthily as burglars and stole across the carpet without making so much as a creak or a rustle.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading We sat, afraid to speak, staring at each other and wondering what was going to happen next.
plural of “question” — an instance of questioning
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
roadsnounUS /roʊdz/
a partly sheltered anchorage
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading We rose up as stealthily as burglars and stole across the carpet without making so much as a creak or a rustle.
rustleverbUS /ˈrʌsəl/
make a dry crackling sound
From this reading We rose up as stealthily as burglars and stole across the carpet without making so much as a creak or a rustle.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading We sat, afraid to speak, staring at each other and wondering what was going to happen next.
move so that an opening or passage is obstructed; make shut
From this reading When we were in he shut the door, told us to wait there, and left us.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading We rose up as stealthily as burglars and stole across the carpet without making so much as a creak or a rustle.
with low volume
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
express in speech
From this reading We sat, afraid to speak, staring at each other and wondering what was going to happen next.
(used of eyes) open and fixed as if in fear or wonder
From this reading We sat, afraid to speak, staring at each other and wondering what was going to happen next.
stealthilyadverb
in a stealthy manner
From this reading We rose up as stealthily as burglars and stole across the carpet without making so much as a creak or a rustle.
a wide scarf worn about their shoulders by women
From this reading We rose up as stealthily as burglars and stole across the carpet without making so much as a creak or a rustle.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
in or at that place or location
From this reading When we were in he shut the door, told us to wait there, and left us.
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading When we were in he shut the door, told us to wait there, and left us.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading We rose up as stealthily as burglars and stole across the carpet without making so much as a creak or a rustle.
the speaker and others, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading When we were in he shut the door, told us to wait there, and left us.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading We sat, afraid to speak, staring at each other and wondering what was going to happen next.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading We rose up as stealthily as burglars and stole across the carpet without making so much as a creak or a rustle.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading When we were in he shut the door, told us to wait there, and left us.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading We sat, afraid to speak, staring at each other and wondering what was going to happen next.
at the time that
From this reading When we were in he shut the door, told us to wait there, and left us.
WhitneynounUS /ˈwɪtni/
United States inventor of the mechanical cotton gin (1765-1825)
From this reading The talk went on for a bit, back and forth between them, Mr. Whitney asking him some questions about the roads, the distances, and Miss Hesketh’s friends; he answering as calm and fluent as if he’d hardly known her at all.
which person or people
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
showing curiosity
From this reading We sat, afraid to speak, staring at each other and wondering what was going to happen next.
a unit of language that native speakers can identify
From this reading In the middle of it the clerk who had met us at the Ferry came softly in, and without a word, beckoned us to follow him through a door that led into another room.
