used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
abashverbUS /əˈbæʃ/
cause to be embarrassed; cause to feel self-conscious
From this reading But my steady inquisition failed to abash her.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
boilingnounUS /ˈbɔɪlɪŋ/
the application of heat to change something from a liquid to a gas
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But my steady inquisition failed to abash her.
charmsnounUS /tʃɑːrmz/
plural of “charm” — attractiveness that interests or pleases or stimulates
From this reading She was too confident of her own charms, I suppose.
confidentadjectiveUS /ˈkɑːnfədənt/
having or marked by confidence or assurance
From this reading She was too confident of her own charms, I suppose.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading But my steady inquisition failed to abash her.
start firing a weapon
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
gloweringadjectiveUS /ˈɡlaʊərɪŋ/
showing a brooding ill humor
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
glumadjectiveUS /ɡlʌm/
moody and melancholic
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I had the will and the opportunity now to regard her, here in secure possession of my own.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading I had the will and the opportunity now to regard her, here in secure possession of my own.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading I had the will and the opportunity now to regard her, here in secure possession of my own.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
inquisitionnounUS /ˌɪn.kwɪˈzɪʃ.ən/
A period of prolonged and intensive questioning or investigation.
From this reading But my steady inquisition failed to abash her.
intrudernounUS /ˌɪnˈtruːdər/
someone who intrudes on the privacy or property of another without permission
From this reading She, not I, was the intruder.
of comparatively little physical weight or density
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
lodgeverbUS /lɑːdʒ/
be a lodger; stay temporarily
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
a particular point in time
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading She, not I, was the intruder.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading I had the will and the opportunity now to regard her, here in secure possession of my own.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading I had the will and the opportunity now to regard her, here in secure possession of my own.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading I had the will and the opportunity now to regard her, here in secure possession of my own.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading I had the will and the opportunity now to regard her, here in secure possession of my own.
the act of passing from one state or place to the next
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
the act of having and controlling property
From this reading I had the will and the opportunity now to regard her, here in secure possession of my own.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading I had the will and the opportunity now to regard her, here in secure possession of my own.
get by special effort
From this reading I had the will and the opportunity now to regard her, here in secure possession of my own.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
make steady
From this reading But my steady inquisition failed to abash her.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
express a supposition
From this reading She was too confident of her own charms, I suppose.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading I had the will and the opportunity now to regard her, here in secure possession of my own.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading She was too confident of her own charms, I suppose.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
at the time that
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading That afternoon I was sitting glum and glowering in my lodge, while the water for my tea was boiling on the fire, when I heard a light step in the passage; and the next moment she stood before me.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading I had the will and the opportunity now to regard her, here in secure possession of my own.
