used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
alertadjectiveUS /əˈlɜːrt/
engaged in or accustomed to close observation
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
amongprepositionUS /əˈmʌŋ/
surrounded by; in the middle of a group
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
ascendencynounUS /əˈsendənsi/
the state that exists when one person or group has power over another
From this reading Trimmer was a power for good and evil--some said a greater power than Herresford himself, over whom he had gained a mental ascendency.
Asherton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading Mr. Trimmer was old Herresford's valet, who had been away for a long holiday--the first for many years.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading TRIMMER COMES HOME "Mr. Trimmer is back."
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Mr. Trimmer was old Herresford's valet, who had been away for a long holiday--the first for many years.
plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
From this reading TRIMMER COMES HOME "Mr. Trimmer is back."
every person
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
morally objectionable behavior
From this reading Trimmer was a power for good and evil--some said a greater power than Herresford himself, over whom he had gained a mental ascendency.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading Mr. Trimmer was old Herresford's valet, who had been away for a long holiday--the first for many years.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Mr. Trimmer was old Herresford's valet, who had been away for a long holiday--the first for many years.
past form of “gain” — obtain
From this reading Trimmer was a power for good and evil--some said a greater power than Herresford himself, over whom he had gained a mental ascendency.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading Trimmer was a power for good and evil--some said a greater power than Herresford himself, over whom he had gained a mental ascendency.
greater in size or importance or degree
From this reading Trimmer was a power for good and evil--some said a greater power than Herresford himself, over whom he had gained a mental ascendency.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Mr. Trimmer was old Herresford's valet, who had been away for a long holiday--the first for many years.
an interior passage or corridor onto which rooms open
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Trimmer was a power for good and evil--some said a greater power than Herresford himself, over whom he had gained a mental ascendency.
Herresford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Trimmer was a power for good and evil--some said a greater power than Herresford himself, over whom he had gained a mental ascendency.
Herresford's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr. Trimmer was old Herresford's valet, who had been away for a long holiday--the first for many years.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Trimmer was a power for good and evil--some said a greater power than Herresford himself, over whom he had gained a mental ascendency.
holidaynounUS /ˈhɑːlədeɪ/
leisure time away from work devoted to rest or pleasure
From this reading Mr. Trimmer was old Herresford's valet, who had been away for a long holiday--the first for many years.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading TRIMMER COMES HOME "Mr. Trimmer is back."
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading TRIMMER COMES HOME "Mr. Trimmer is back."
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading Mr. Trimmer was old Herresford's valet, who had been away for a long holiday--the first for many years.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Mr. Trimmer was old Herresford's valet, who had been away for a long holiday--the first for many years.
an artist of consummate skill
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
involving the mind or an intellectual process
From this reading Trimmer was a power for good and evil--some said a greater power than Herresford himself, over whom he had gained a mental ascendency.
a form of address for a man
From this reading MR.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading Mr. Trimmer was old Herresford's valet, who had been away for a long holiday--the first for many years.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading Trimmer was a power for good and evil--some said a greater power than Herresford himself, over whom he had gained a mental ascendency.
possession of controlling influence
From this reading Trimmer was a power for good and evil--some said a greater power than Herresford himself, over whom he had gained a mental ascendency.
go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading Trimmer was a power for good and evil--some said a greater power than Herresford himself, over whom he had gained a mental ascendency.
plural of “servant” — a person working in the service of another (especially in the household)
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading Trimmer was a power for good and evil--some said a greater power than Herresford himself, over whom he had gained a mental ascendency.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading Trimmer was a power for good and evil--some said a greater power than Herresford himself, over whom he had gained a mental ascendency.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
TRIMMERnounUS /ˈtrɪmər/
a worker who thins out and trims trees and shrubs
From this reading TRIMMER COMES HOME "Mr. Trimmer is back."
valetnounUS /væˈleɪ/
a manservant who acts as a personal attendant to his employer
From this reading Mr. Trimmer was old Herresford's valet, who had been away for a long holiday--the first for many years.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
speaking softly without vibration of the vocal cords
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
which person or people
From this reading Mr. Trimmer was old Herresford's valet, who had been away for a long holiday--the first for many years.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Trimmer was a power for good and evil--some said a greater power than Herresford himself, over whom he had gained a mental ascendency.
the words that are spoken
From this reading The words went around among the servants at Asherton Hall in a whisper; and everybody was immediately alert, as at the return of a master.
a late time of life
From this reading Mr. Trimmer was old Herresford's valet, who had been away for a long holiday--the first for many years.
