used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Why hadn't whoever it was who first introduced them--he couldn't remember who the dickens it was--told him about this?
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Always getting divorced and causing unpleasantness.
AmericansnounUS /əˈmerəkənz/
plural of “american” — a native or inhabitant of the United States
From this reading That was the worst of these Americans!
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Always getting divorced and causing unpleasantness.
causingnounUS /ˈkɑːzɪŋ/
the act of causing something to happen
From this reading Always getting divorced and causing unpleasantness.
couldn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why hadn't whoever it was who first introduced them--he couldn't remember who the dickens it was--told him about this?
comparative of “deeply” — to a great depth psychologically or emotionally
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
dickensnounUS /ˈdɪkənz/
a word used in exclamations of confusion
From this reading Why hadn't whoever it was who first introduced them--he couldn't remember who the dickens it was--told him about this?
divorcedadjectiveUS /dɪˈvɔːrst/
of someone whose marriage has been legally dissolved
From this reading Always getting divorced and causing unpleasantness.
plural of “emotion” — any strong feeling
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
exhibitedverbUS /ɪɡˈzɪbətəd/
past form of “exhibit” — show an attribute, property, knowledge, or skill
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
a boy or man
From this reading How was a fellow to know?
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Why hadn't whoever it was who first introduced them--he couldn't remember who the dickens it was--told him about this?
the act of acquiring something
From this reading Always getting divorced and causing unpleasantness.
hadn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why hadn't whoever it was who first introduced them--he couldn't remember who the dickens it was--told him about this?
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Why hadn't whoever it was who first introduced them--he couldn't remember who the dickens it was--told him about this?
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Why hadn't whoever it was who first introduced them--he couldn't remember who the dickens it was--told him about this?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
intense and profound fear
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
How
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading How was a fellow to know?
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
past form of “introduce” — cause to come to know personally
From this reading Why hadn't whoever it was who first introduced them--he couldn't remember who the dickens it was--told him about this?
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Why hadn't whoever it was who first introduced them--he couldn't remember who the dickens it was--told him about this?
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading How was a fellow to know?
lordshipnounUS /ˈlɔːrdʃɪp/
a title used to address any British peer except a duke and extended to a bishop or a judge
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
To recall to mind.
From this reading Why hadn't whoever it was who first introduced them--he couldn't remember who the dickens it was--told him about this?
shrinkingnounUS /ˈʃrɪŋkɪŋ/
process or result of becoming less or smaller
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
without speaking
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading That was the worst of these Americans!
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Why hadn't whoever it was who first introduced them--he couldn't remember who the dickens it was--told him about this?
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading That was the worst of these Americans!
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Why hadn't whoever it was who first introduced them--he couldn't remember who the dickens it was--told him about this?
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading How was a fellow to know?
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Why hadn't whoever it was who first introduced them--he couldn't remember who the dickens it was--told him about this?
unpleasantnessnounUS /ənˈplezəntnəs/
the feeling caused by disagreeable stimuli; one pole of a continuum of states of feeling
From this reading Always getting divorced and causing unpleasantness.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading That was the worst of these Americans!
used to introduce two or more possibilities
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
which person or people
From this reading Why hadn't whoever it was who first introduced them--he couldn't remember who the dickens it was--told him about this?
whoever
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Why hadn't whoever it was who first introduced them--he couldn't remember who the dickens it was--told him about this?
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading Why hadn't whoever it was who first introduced them--he couldn't remember who the dickens it was--told him about this?
in the company of; together with
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
an adult female person (as opposed to a man)
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
the least favorable outcome
From this reading That was the worst of these Americans!
writhedadjectiveUS /rɪθd/
twisted (especially as in pain or struggle)
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
(used of living things especially persons) in an early period of life or development or growth
From this reading His lordship, a young man with a shrinking horror of the deeper emotions, whether exhibited in woman or man, writhed silently.
