used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They flitted helplessly about him for a moment, like pretty, distressed birds.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading They flitted helplessly about him for a moment, like pretty, distressed birds.
achingadjectiveUS /ˈeɪkɪŋ/
causing a dull and steady pain
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
experiencing a sudden sense of danger
From this reading DESPONDENCY Startled and alarmed the two girls hastened to the side of their father.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading DESPONDENCY Startled and alarmed the two girls hastened to the side of their father.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was as though some enemy had struck at his very life, for to him his voice was his only means of livelihood.
(military) an offensive against an enemy (using weapons)
From this reading For none realized as keenly as he what the attack meant.
plural of “bird” — warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading They flitted helplessly about him for a moment, like pretty, distressed birds.
clutchnounUS /klʌtʃ/
the act of grasping
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
DESPONDENCYnounUS /dɪˈspɑːndənsi/
feeling downcast and disheartened and hopeless
From this reading DESPONDENCY Startled and alarmed the two girls hastened to the side of their father.
DeVere
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
distressedadjectiveUS /dɪˈstrest/
facing or experiencing financial trouble or difficulty
From this reading They flitted helplessly about him for a moment, like pretty, distressed birds.
an opposing military force
From this reading It was as though some enemy had struck at his very life, for to him his voice was his only means of livelihood.
a male parent (also used as a term of address to your father)
From this reading DESPONDENCY Startled and alarmed the two girls hastened to the side of their father.
flitted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading They flitted helplessly about him for a moment, like pretty, distressed birds.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading They flitted helplessly about him for a moment, like pretty, distressed birds.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading DESPONDENCY Startled and alarmed the two girls hastened to the side of their father.
grippedverbUS /ɡrɪpt/
inflected form of “grip” — hold fast or firmly
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
past form of “hasten” — act or move at high speed
From this reading DESPONDENCY Startled and alarmed the two girls hastened to the side of their father.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading For none realized as keenly as he what the attack meant.
helplesslyadverbUS /ˈhelpləsli/
in a helpless manner
From this reading They flitted helplessly about him for a moment, like pretty, distressed birds.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading They flitted helplessly about him for a moment, like pretty, distressed birds.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
keenlyadverbUS /ˈkiːnli/
in a keen or penetrating way
From this reading For none realized as keenly as he what the attack meant.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading It was as though some enemy had struck at his very life, for to him his voice was his only means of livelihood.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading They flitted helplessly about him for a moment, like pretty, distressed birds.
livelihoodnounUS /ˈlaɪvlihʊd/
the financial means whereby one lives
From this reading It was as though some enemy had struck at his very life, for to him his voice was his only means of livelihood.
maladynounUS /ˈmælədi/
any unwholesome or desperate condition
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading It was as though some enemy had struck at his very life, for to him his voice was his only means of livelihood.
inflected form of “mean” — mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading For none realized as keenly as he what the attack meant.
a particular point in time
From this reading They flitted helplessly about him for a moment, like pretty, distressed birds.
a form of address for a man
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
not one, and not any
From this reading For none realized as keenly as he what the attack meant.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading DESPONDENCY Startled and alarmed the two girls hastened to the side of their father.
and nothing more
From this reading It was as though some enemy had struck at his very life, for to him his voice was his only means of livelihood.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
pleasing by delicacy or grace; not imposing
From this reading They flitted helplessly about him for a moment, like pretty, distressed birds.
successfully completed or brought to an end
From this reading For none realized as keenly as he what the attack meant.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading DESPONDENCY Startled and alarmed the two girls hastened to the side of their father.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It was as though some enemy had struck at his very life, for to him his voice was his only means of livelihood.
excited by sudden surprise or alarm and making a quick involuntary movement
From this reading DESPONDENCY Startled and alarmed the two girls hastened to the side of their father.
(used in combination) affected by something overwhelming
From this reading It was as though some enemy had struck at his very life, for to him his voice was his only means of livelihood.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
separate or cause to separate abruptly
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading DESPONDENCY Startled and alarmed the two girls hastened to the side of their father.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading DESPONDENCY Startled and alarmed the two girls hastened to the side of their father.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They flitted helplessly about him for a moment, like pretty, distressed birds.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
The passage at the back of the mouth.
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading DESPONDENCY Startled and alarmed the two girls hastened to the side of their father.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading DESPONDENCY Startled and alarmed the two girls hastened to the side of their father.
precisely as stated
From this reading It was as though some enemy had struck at his very life, for to him his voice was his only means of livelihood.
the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person's speech
From this reading It was as though some enemy had struck at his very life, for to him his voice was his only means of livelihood.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was as though some enemy had struck at his very life, for to him his voice was his only means of livelihood.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading As for Mr. DeVere, his hand went to his aching throat as though to clutch the malady that had so suddenly gripped him, and tear it out.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading For none realized as keenly as he what the attack meant.
