used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
in actual fact
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
aimlesslyadverbUS /ˈeɪmləsli/
without aim; in an aimless manner
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
(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 He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
appropriateverbUS /əˈproʊpriət/
give or assign a resource to a particular person or cause
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
bribedverbUS /braɪbd/
past form of “bribe” — make illegal payments to in exchange for favors or influence
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
CarternounUS /ˈkɑːrtər/
Englishman and Egyptologist who in 1922 discovered and excavated the tomb of Tutankhamen (1873-1939)
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
chauffeurnounUS /ʃoʊˈfɜːr/
a man paid to drive a privately owned car
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
intentionally conceived
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
dove-gray
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
A series of thoughts, images, or emotions during sleep.
From this reading It was surely a dream.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
decreasing in amount or degree
From this reading In his worry over inactivity he had found himself falling into queer little illusions lately.
Father'snounUS /ˈfɑːðərz/
possessive form of “father” — a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
fiddler-crab
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
set up or found
From this reading In his worry over inactivity he had found himself falling into queer little illusions lately.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In his worry over inactivity he had found himself falling into queer little illusions lately.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
harassedadjectiveUS /hərˈæst/
troubled persistently especially with petty annoyances
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading In his worry over inactivity he had found himself falling into queer little illusions lately.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
illusionsnounUS /ˌɪˈluːʒənz/
plural of “illusion” — an erroneous mental representation
From this reading In his worry over inactivity he had found himself falling into queer little illusions lately.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading In his worry over inactivity he had found himself falling into queer little illusions lately.
inactivitynounUS /ˌɪnækˈtɪvɪti/
the state of being inactive
From this reading In his worry over inactivity he had found himself falling into queer little illusions lately.
indignantadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈdɪɡnənt/
angered at something unjust or wrong
From this reading He had a spasm of indignant wonder.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading In his worry over inactivity he had found himself falling into queer little illusions lately.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was surely a dream.
(especially of promises or contracts) not violated or disregarded
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
in the recent past
From this reading In his worry over inactivity he had found himself falling into queer little illusions lately.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading In his worry over inactivity he had found himself falling into queer little illusions lately.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading In his worry over inactivity he had found himself falling into queer little illusions lately.
pokedverbUS /poʊkt/
past form of “poke” — poke or thrust abruptly
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading In his worry over inactivity he had found himself falling into queer little illusions lately.
cut with a saw
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
spasmnounUS /ˈspæzəm/
a painful and involuntary muscular contraction
From this reading He had a spasm of indignant wonder.
come to a halt, stop moving
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading It was surely a dream.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
uniformadjectiveUS /ˈjuːnəfɔːrm/
always the same; showing a single form or character in all occurrences
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
Vance
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
vulgaradjectiveUS /ˈvʌlɡər/
lacking refinement or cultivation or taste
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was surely a dream.
at the time that
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
whittlingverbUS /ˈwɪtlɪŋ/
-ing form of “whittle” — cut small bits or pare shavings from
From this reading Father's hand kept on aimlessly whittling, while his eyes poked out like those of a harassed fiddler-crab when he saw Mrs. Vance Carter actually stop.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
winkingnounUS /ˈwɪŋkɪŋ/
a reflex that closes and opens the eyes rapidly
From this reading He was conscious that the chauffeur, whom he had bribed to stop some day, was winking at him in a vulgar manner not at all appropriate to his dove-gray uniform.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading He had a spasm of indignant wonder.
be worried, concerned, anxious, troubled, or uneasy
From this reading In his worry over inactivity he had found himself falling into queer little illusions lately.
