used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
inconsistent with reason or logic or common sense
From this reading "It was too absurd of you to be sitting there talking to father all the time.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
(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 "It was too absurd of you to be sitting there talking to father all the time.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She rose as he entered, and came to meet him.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She rose as he entered, and came to meet him.
barelyadverbUS /ˈberli/
only a very short time before
From this reading "I have barely a quarter of an hour, Stirling," she said.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "It was too absurd of you to be sitting there talking to father all the time.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading She rose as he entered, and came to meet him.
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Come and say nice things to me.
Deane
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
drawing-room
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading She rose as he entered, and came to meet him.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading "It was too absurd of you to be sitting there talking to father all the time.
set up or found
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
habituenoun
a regular patron
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading "I have barely a quarter of an hour, Stirling," she said.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She rose as he entered, and came to meet him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She rose as he entered, and came to meet him.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading "I have barely a quarter of an hour, Stirling," she said.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I have barely a quarter of an hour, Stirling," she said.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "It was too absurd of you to be sitting there talking to father all the time.
a polite name for any woman
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Come and say nice things to me.
come together
From this reading She rose as he entered, and came to meet him.
kill intentionally and with premeditation
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
pleasant or pleasing or agreeable in nature or appearance
From this reading Come and say nice things to me.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
OliveadjectiveUS /ˈɑːləv/
of a yellow-green color similar to that of an unripe olive
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
pianonounUS /piˈænoʊ/
a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
one of four equal parts
From this reading "I have barely a quarter of an hour, Stirling," she said.
any of many shrubs of the genus Rosa that bear roses
From this reading She rose as he entered, and came to meet him.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I have barely a quarter of an hour, Stirling," she said.
express in words
From this reading Come and say nice things to me.
(of persons) having the torso erect and legs bent with the body supported on the buttocks
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She rose as he entered, and came to meet him.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading "It was too absurd of you to be sitting there talking to father all the time.
with low volume
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
Stirling
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I have barely a quarter of an hour, Stirling," she said.
an exchange of ideas via conversation
From this reading "It was too absurd of you to be sitting there talking to father all the time.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
in or at that place or location
From this reading "It was too absurd of you to be sitting there talking to father all the time.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Come and say nice things to me.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading "It was too absurd of you to be sitting there talking to father all the time.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading "It was too absurd of you to be sitting there talking to father all the time.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
in or at the place that
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
which person or people
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
in the company of; together with
From this reading A MURDER Deane, with the air of one who was an _habitue_ to the house, found his way to the drawing-room, where Lady Olive was seated before the piano, playing softly.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "It was too absurd of you to be sitting there talking to father all the time.
