used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
a mixture of gases (especially oxygen) required for breathing; the stuff that the wind consists of
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
with anxiety or apprehension
From this reading "I hope Mr. Carlaw is not ill?" he exclaimed anxiously.
apronnounUS /ˈeɪprən/
a garment of cloth or leather or plastic that is tied about the waist and worn to protect your clothing
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
ASSERTSverbUS /əˈsɜːrts/
third-person singular of “assert” — state categorically
From this reading GENIUS ASSERTS ITSELF.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
inflected form of “begin” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
being of the achromatic color of maximum darkness; having little or no hue owing to absorption of almost all incident light
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
Carlaw
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I hope Mr. Carlaw is not ill?" he exclaimed anxiously.
causing fear or dread or terror
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
past form of “exclaim” — utter aloud; often with surprise, horror, or joy
From this reading "I hope Mr. Carlaw is not ill?" he exclaimed anxiously.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
someone who has exceptional intellectual ability and originality
From this reading GENIUS ASSERTS ITSELF.
past form of “happen” — come to pass
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading The landlady shook her head.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
hesitatingadjectiveUS /ˈhezəteɪtɪŋ/
lacking decisiveness of character; unable to act or decide quickly or firmly
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
a specific instance of feeling hopeful
From this reading "I hope Mr. Carlaw is not ill?" he exclaimed anxiously.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I hope Mr. Carlaw is not ill?" he exclaimed anxiously.
affected by an impairment of normal physical or mental function
From this reading "I hope Mr. Carlaw is not ill?" he exclaimed anxiously.
form a mental image of something that is not present or that is not the case
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading "I hope Mr. Carlaw is not ill?" he exclaimed anxiously.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading GENIUS ASSERTS ITSELF.
landladynounUS /ˈlændleɪdi/
a landlord who is a woman
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
a particular point in time
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
a form of address for a man
From this reading "I hope Mr. Carlaw is not ill?" he exclaimed anxiously.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
nervouslyadverbUS /ˈnɜːrvəsli/
in an anxiously nervous manner
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading "I hope Mr. Carlaw is not ill?" he exclaimed anxiously.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
perception by means of the eyes
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
shabbyadjectiveUS /ˈʃæbi/
showing signs of wear and tear
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading The landlady shook her head.
a fabric made from the fine threads produced by certain insect larvae
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
the utterance of intelligible speech
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
past form of “tremble” — move or jerk quickly and involuntarily up and down or sideways
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
twistedadjectiveUS /ˈtwɪstɪd/
having an intended meaning altered or misrepresented
From this reading Seeing that she trembled and nervously twisted the edge of a shabby black silk apron between her fingers, he began to imagine that something must be the matter--that something dreadful must have happened.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading The landlady followed him with a hesitating air and stood looking at him for a moment or two without speaking.
