used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They had let him speak out, without a single interruption, in dead silence.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading He had been aware of their faces about him.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
a strong emotion; a feeling that is oriented toward some real or supposed grievance
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Once or twice she smiled, in a queer way, as though some of his words seemed to her too ridiculous.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
(sometimes followed by “of”) having or showing knowledge or understanding or realization or perception
From this reading He had been aware of their faces about him.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
enter or assume a certain state or condition
From this reading Joyce had become quite white.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He had been aware of their faces about him.
Bertram
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
a seat for one person, with a support for the back
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
no longer having or seeming to have or expecting to have life
From this reading They had let him speak out, without a single interruption, in dead silence.
opinion or judgment
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
plural of “face” — the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading He had been aware of their faces about him.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
(of a number) having a fixed and unchanging value
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had let him speak out, without a single interruption, in dead silence.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had been aware of their faces about him.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They had let him speak out, without a single interruption, in dead silence.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Once or twice she smiled, in a queer way, as though some of his words seemed to her too ridiculous.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They had let him speak out, without a single interruption, in dead silence.
interruptionnounUS /ˌɪntərˈʌpʃən/
an act of delaying or interrupting the continuity
From this reading They had let him speak out, without a single interruption, in dead silence.
JoycenounUS /dʒɔɪs/
influential Irish writer noted for his many innovations (such as stream of consciousness writing) (1882-1941)
From this reading Joyce had become quite white.
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading They had let him speak out, without a single interruption, in dead silence.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He had been aware of their faces about him.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
on one occasion
From this reading Once or twice she smiled, in a queer way, as though some of his words seemed to her too ridiculous.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Once or twice she smiled, in a queer way, as though some of his words seemed to her too ridiculous.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading They had let him speak out, without a single interruption, in dead silence.
beyond or deviating from the usual or expected
From this reading Once or twice she smiled, in a queer way, as though some of his words seemed to her too ridiculous.
to a degree (not used with a negative)
From this reading Joyce had become quite white.
inspiring scornful pity
From this reading Once or twice she smiled, in a queer way, as though some of his words seemed to her too ridiculous.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading Once or twice she smiled, in a queer way, as though some of his words seemed to her too ridiculous.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
Complete absence of sound; a state of quietness and stillness.
From this reading They had let him speak out, without a single interruption, in dead silence.
being or characteristic of a single thing or person
From this reading They had let him speak out, without a single interruption, in dead silence.
past form of “smile” — change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading Once or twice she smiled, in a queer way, as though some of his words seemed to her too ridiculous.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Once or twice she smiled, in a queer way, as though some of his words seemed to her too ridiculous.
express in speech
From this reading They had let him speak out, without a single interruption, in dead silence.
having a supporting base
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
not in physical motion
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
great in vertical dimension; high in stature
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading He had been aware of their faces about him.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had let him speak out, without a single interruption, in dead silence.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading Once or twice she smiled, in a queer way, as though some of his words seemed to her too ridiculous.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Once or twice she smiled, in a queer way, as though some of his words seemed to her too ridiculous.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading Once or twice she smiled, in a queer way, as though some of his words seemed to her too ridiculous.
two times
From this reading Once or twice she smiled, in a queer way, as though some of his words seemed to her too ridiculous.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Once or twice she smiled, in a queer way, as though some of his words seemed to her too ridiculous.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
a Caucasian
From this reading Joyce had become quite white.
in the company of; together with
From this reading She was still standing with her hands on the back of the tall chair, and her eyes were fixed on Bertram with a look of amazement, at first, and then anger.
not having, not using, or not accompanied by
From this reading They had let him speak out, without a single interruption, in dead silence.
the words that are spoken
From this reading Once or twice she smiled, in a queer way, as though some of his words seemed to her too ridiculous.
