used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
writes (books or stories or articles or the like) professionally (for pay)
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
baldadjectiveUS /bɔːld/
with no effort to conceal
From this reading The teeth of time take kindly to the hirsute and the speaker was very bald.
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
depressionnounUS /dɪˈpreʃən/
a mental state characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activity
From this reading Only a narrow fringe of reddish hair divided the rear depression of his fevered brow from the nape of his fat red neck.
disappearingnounUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɪrɪŋ/
the act of leaving secretly or without explanation
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
separated into parts or pieces
From this reading Only a narrow fringe of reddish hair divided the rear depression of his fevered brow from the nape of his fat red neck.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
having an (over)abundance of flesh
From this reading Only a narrow fringe of reddish hair divided the rear depression of his fevered brow from the nape of his fat red neck.
feveredadjectiveUS /ˈfiːvərd/
highly or nervously excited
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
fringenounUS /frɪndʒ/
the outside boundary or surface of something
From this reading Only a narrow fringe of reddish hair divided the rear depression of his fevered brow from the nape of his fat red neck.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
of behavior that is impressive and ambitious in scale or scope
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading Only a narrow fringe of reddish hair divided the rear depression of his fevered brow from the nape of his fat red neck.
a square piece of cloth used for wiping the eyes or nose or as a costume accessory
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
hirsuteadjectiveUS /hərˈsuːt/
having or covered with hair
From this reading The teeth of time take kindly to the hirsute and the speaker was very bald.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
showing or motivated by sympathy and understanding and generosity
From this reading The teeth of time take kindly to the hirsute and the speaker was very bald.
leeringadjective
showing sly or knowing malice in a glance
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
linennounUS /ˈlɪnən/
a fabric woven with fibers from the flax plant
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
a particular point in time
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
mysteriouslyadverbUS /ˌmɪˈstɪriəsli/
in a cryptic manner
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
napenoun
the back side of the neck
From this reading Only a narrow fringe of reddish hair divided the rear depression of his fevered brow from the nape of his fat red neck.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading Only a narrow fringe of reddish hair divided the rear depression of his fevered brow from the nape of his fat red neck.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading Only a narrow fringe of reddish hair divided the rear depression of his fevered brow from the nape of his fat red neck.
obviousadjectiveUS /ˈɑːbviəs/
easily perceived by the senses or grasped by the mind
From this reading The reason for this was obvious.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
and nothing more
From this reading Only a narrow fringe of reddish hair divided the rear depression of his fevered brow from the nape of his fat red neck.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
go across or through
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
the back of a military formation or procession
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
a rational motive for a belief or action
From this reading The reason for this was obvious.
red color or pigment; the chromatic color resembling the hue of blood
From this reading Only a narrow fringe of reddish hair divided the rear depression of his fevered brow from the nape of his fat red neck.
reddishadjectiveUS /ˈredɪʃ/
of a color at the end of the color spectrum (next to orange); resembling the color of blood or cherries or tomatoes or rubies
From this reading Only a narrow fringe of reddish hair divided the rear depression of his fevered brow from the nape of his fat red neck.
a charge of ammunition for a single shot
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
Seigneurnoun
a man of rank in the ancient regime
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
having a surface free from roughness or bumps or ridges or irregularities
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
speakernounUS /ˈspiːkər/
someone who expresses in language; someone who talks (especially someone who delivers a public speech or someone especially garrulous)
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
swabbingnoun
cleaning with a mop
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
possessing sweep
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
carry out
From this reading The teeth of time take kindly to the hirsute and the speaker was very bald.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading The teeth of time take kindly to the hirsute and the speaker was very bald.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading The reason for this was obvious.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The teeth of time take kindly to the hirsute and the speaker was very bald.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
the upper part of anything
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
a track or mark left by something that has passed
From this reading Author of "The Trail of the Grand Seigneur" The speaker paused for a moment to pass his handkerchief over his fevered brow.
traversingverbUS /trəˈvɜːrsɪŋ/
-ing form of “traverse” — travel across or pass over
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
displeasing to the senses
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Up from the ugly, leering, little eyes swept the swabbing linen, traversing the smooth top of the round head and disappearing mysteriously at the rear.
precisely as stated
From this reading The teeth of time take kindly to the hirsute and the speaker was very bald.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The reason for this was obvious.
