used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He was back in a moment bearing a silver tray upon which lay two calling-cards.
a feeling of delight at being entertained
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He was back in a moment bearing a silver tray upon which lay two calling-cards.
relevant relation or interconnection
From this reading He was back in a moment bearing a silver tray upon which lay two calling-cards.
beetlingadjective
jutting or overhanging
From this reading The Inspector picked them up with beetling brows.
browsnounUS /braʊz/
plural of “brow” — the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading The Inspector picked them up with beetling brows.
calling-cards
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He was back in a moment bearing a silver tray upon which lay two calling-cards.
a formal event performed on a special occasion
From this reading “Such ceremony, Djuna!” he murmured.
rid of objects or obstructions such as e.g. trees and brush
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
a beverage consisting of an infusion of ground coffee beans
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
dinner-dishes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
Djuna
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
doorbellnounUS /ˈdɔːrbel/
a push button at an outer door that gives a ringing or buzzing signal when pushed
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
Ellery
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
eyedadjectiveUS /aɪd/
having an eye or eyes or eyelike feature especially as specified; often used in combination
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
foyernounUS /ˈfɔɪər/
a large entrance or reception room or area
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
in a grave and sober manner
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was back in a moment bearing a silver tray upon which lay two calling-cards.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
InspectornounUS /ˌɪnˈspektər/
a high ranking police officer
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
jacketnounUS /ˈdʒækət/
a short coat
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
and nothing more
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
put into a certain place or abstract location
From this reading He was back in a moment bearing a silver tray upon which lay two calling-cards.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
man-of-all-work
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
past form of “march” — march in a procession
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
a particular point in time
From this reading He was back in a moment bearing a silver tray upon which lay two calling-cards.
past form of “murmur” — speak softly or indistinctly
From this reading “Such ceremony, Djuna!” he murmured.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
outeradjectiveUS /ˈaʊtər/
being on the outside or further from a center
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
past form of “pick” — select carefully from a group
From this reading The Inspector picked them up with beetling brows.
past form of “pull” — cause to move by pulling
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
the only fertile female in a colony of social insects such as bees and ants and termites; its function is to lay eggs
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
QueensnounUS /kwiːnz/
a borough of New York City
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
servingnounUS /ˈsɜːrvɪŋ/
an individual quantity of food or drink taken as part of a meal
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading He was back in a moment bearing a silver tray upon which lay two calling-cards.
six-thirty
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
straightenedverbUS /ˈstreɪtənd/
past form of “straighten” — straighten up or out; make straight
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading “Such ceremony, Djuna!” he murmured.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading The Inspector picked them up with beetling brows.
tienounUS /taɪ/
neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
traynounUS /treɪ/
an open receptacle for holding or displaying or serving articles or food
From this reading He was back in a moment bearing a silver tray upon which lay two calling-cards.
twinklingnounUS /ˈtwɪŋkəlɪŋ/
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading The Inspector picked them up with beetling brows.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading He was back in a moment bearing a silver tray upon which lay two calling-cards.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
at the time that
From this reading QUEEN TO QUEEN Djuna had just cleared the table of the dinner-dishes and was serving coffee to the two Queens at six-thirty that evening when the outer doorbell rang.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading He was back in a moment bearing a silver tray upon which lay two calling-cards.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading The little man-of-all-work straightened his tie, pulled down his jacket (while the Inspector and Ellery eyed him in twinkling amusement), and marched gravely into the foyer.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The Inspector picked them up with beetling brows.
