used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
a nobleman (in various countries) of varying rank
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
blandadjectiveUS /blænd/
lacking taste or flavor or tang
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
BorschnounUS /bɔːrʃ/
a Russian or Polish soup usually containing beet juice as a foundation
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
to a complete degree or to the full or entire extent (“whole” is often used informally for “wholly”)
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
crushedadjectiveUS /krʌʃt/
treated so as to have a permanently wrinkled appearance
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
dismaynounUS /dɪˈsmeɪ/
the feeling of despair in the face of obstacles
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
divisible by two
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
the experiencing of affective and emotional states
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
gloatingnounUS /ˈɡloʊtɪŋ/
malicious satisfaction
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
HAIRSBREADTHnoun
a very small distance or space
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
MajoradjectiveUS /ˈmeɪdʒər/
of greater importance or stature or rank
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
merestadjectiveUS /ˈmerəst/
superlative of “mere” — being nothing more than specified
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
Nessa
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
information about recent and important events
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
under a moral obligation to do something
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
overwhelmedverbUS /ˌoʊvərˈwelmd/
past form of “overwhelm” — overcome, as with emotions or perceptual stimuli
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
interpret something that is written or printed
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
inflected form of “reply” — react verbally
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
a disassembled barrel; the parts packed for storage or shipment
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
the display of a motion picture
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
sneeredverbUS /snɪrd/
past form of “sneer” — express through a scornful smile
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
taken unawares or suddenly and feeling wonder or astonishment
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
telegramnounUS /ˈteləɡræm/
a message transmitted by telegraph
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
judge or regard; look upon; judge
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
in contact with each other or in proximity
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
a cold pudding made of layers of sponge cake spread with fruit or jelly; may be decorated with nuts, cream, or chocolate
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading "I'm much obliged to you for showing it to me," I replied, as if it were the merest trifle.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
which person or people
From this reading I must have done it pretty well, for even Nessa, who had been overwhelmed by the news, was surprised and pulled herself together.
in the company of; together with
From this reading He expected me to be completely crushed, so I shook off my first feeling of dismay and looked up with a bland smile.
inside; before a period of time has passed
From this reading WITHIN A HAIRSBREADTH Major Borsch stood gloating over me as I read the telegram.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Well, what do you think of your friend the Baron, now?" he sneered.
