used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He was an extremely intelligent man, and most of his intelligence consisted in knowing where other people were wrong.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Stella wished, as she had often wished before, that the inner office in which she worked could not be invaded by the manner in which Mr. Travers conducted his interviews.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading Stella wished, as she had often wished before, that the inner office in which she worked could not be invaded by the manner in which Mr. Travers conducted his interviews.
beginsnounUS /bɪˈɡɪnz/
plural of “begin” — Israeli statesman (born in Russia) who (as prime minister of Israel) negotiated a peace treaty with Anwar Sadat (then the president of Egypt) (1913-1992)
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
beingauxiliary verbUS /ˈbiːɪŋ/
the -ing form of “be”
From this reading It took the form with Mr. Leslie Travers of his being more definite than usual.
a youthful male person
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Stella wished, as she had often wished before, that the inner office in which she worked could not be invaded by the manner in which Mr. Travers conducted his interviews.
conductedverbUS /kənˈdʌktəd/
past form of “conduct” — direct the course of; manage or control
From this reading Stella wished, as she had often wished before, that the inner office in which she worked could not be invaded by the manner in which Mr. Travers conducted his interviews.
consistedverbUS /kənˈsɪstəd/
past form of “consist” — originate
From this reading He was an extremely intelligent man, and most of his intelligence consisted in knowing where other people were wrong.
contactnounUS /ˈkɑːntækt/
close interaction
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
continuesverbUS /kənˈtɪnjuːz/
third-person singular of “continue” — continue a certain state, condition, or activity
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading Stella wished, as she had often wished before, that the inner office in which she worked could not be invaded by the manner in which Mr. Travers conducted his interviews.
definiteadjectiveUS /ˈdefənət/
precise; explicit and clearly defined
From this reading It took the form with Mr. Leslie Travers of his being more definite than usual.
command with authority
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
to a high degree or extent; favorably or with much respect
From this reading He was an extremely intelligent man, and most of his intelligence consisted in knowing where other people were wrong.
forgetfulnessnoun
tendency to forget
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something
From this reading It took the form with Mr. Leslie Travers of his being more definite than usual.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He was an extremely intelligent man, and most of his intelligence consisted in knowing where other people were wrong.
a form of energy that is transferred by a difference in temperature
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading It took the form with Mr. Leslie Travers of his being more definite than usual.
used of physical heat; having a high or higher than desirable temperature or giving off heat or feeling or causing a sensation of heat or burning
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
humanadjectiveUS /ˈhjuːmən/
characteristic of humanity
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
inciteverbUS /ˌɪnˈsaɪt/
give an incentive for action
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
located inward
From this reading Stella wished, as she had often wished before, that the inner office in which she worked could not be invaded by the manner in which Mr. Travers conducted his interviews.
inspirationsnounUS /ˌɪnspərˈeɪʃənz/
plural of “inspiration” — arousal of the mind to special unusual activity or creativity
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
the ability to comprehend; to understand and profit from experience
From this reading He was an extremely intelligent man, and most of his intelligence consisted in knowing where other people were wrong.
intelligentadjectiveUS /ˌɪnˈtelədʒənt/
having the capacity for thought and reason especially to a high degree
From this reading He was an extremely intelligent man, and most of his intelligence consisted in knowing where other people were wrong.
interviewsnounUS /ˈɪntərvjuːz/
plural of “interview” — the questioning of a person (or a conversation in which information is elicited); often conducted by journalists
From this reading Stella wished, as she had often wished before, that the inner office in which she worked could not be invaded by the manner in which Mr. Travers conducted his interviews.
invadedverbUS /ˌɪnˈveɪdəd/
past form of “invade” — march aggressively into another's territory by military force for the purposes of conquest and occupation
From this reading Stella wished, as she had often wished before, that the inner office in which she worked could not be invaded by the manner in which Mr. Travers conducted his interviews.
irritablyadverb
in a petulant manner
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
the month following June and preceding August
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
evidencing the possession of inside information
From this reading He was an extremely intelligent man, and most of his intelligence consisted in knowing where other people were wrong.
lentnounUS /lent/
a period of 40 weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Holy Saturday
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
Leslie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It took the form with Mr. Leslie Travers of his being more definite than usual.
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He was an extremely intelligent man, and most of his intelligence consisted in knowing where other people were wrong.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading Stella wished, as she had often wished before, that the inner office in which she worked could not be invaded by the manner in which Mr. Travers conducted his interviews.
mayor'snounUS /ˈmeɪərz/
possessive form of “mayor” — the head of a city government
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading It took the form with Mr. Leslie Travers of his being more definite than usual.
the time period between dawn and noon
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
used to form the superlative
From this reading He was an extremely intelligent man, and most of his intelligence consisted in knowing where other people were wrong.
a form of address for a man
From this reading It took the form with Mr. Leslie Travers of his being more definite than usual.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Stella wished, as she had often wished before, that the inner office in which she worked could not be invaded by the manner in which Mr. Travers conducted his interviews.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
place of business where professional or clerical duties are performed
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
many times at short intervals
From this reading Stella wished, as she had often wished before, that the inner office in which she worked could not be invaded by the manner in which Mr. Travers conducted his interviews.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading He was an extremely intelligent man, and most of his intelligence consisted in knowing where other people were wrong.
paroxysms
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
(plural) any group of human beings (men or women or children) collectively
From this reading He was an extremely intelligent man, and most of his intelligence consisted in knowing where other people were wrong.
razornounUS /ˈreɪzər/
edge tool used in shaving
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
sanctumnounUS /ˈsæŋktəm/
a place of inviolable privacy
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
a person who is head of an administrative department of government
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Stella wished, as she had often wished before, that the inner office in which she worked could not be invaded by the manner in which Mr. Travers conducted his interviews.
without speed (“slow” is sometimes used informally for “slowly”)
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
StellanounUS /ˈstelə/
United States minimalist painter (born in 1936)
From this reading Stella wished, as she had often wished before, that the inner office in which she worked could not be invaded by the manner in which Mr. Travers conducted his interviews.
a sudden outburst of anger
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading It took the form with Mr. Leslie Travers of his being more definite than usual.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Stella wished, as she had often wished before, that the inner office in which she worked could not be invaded by the manner in which Mr. Travers conducted his interviews.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It took the form with Mr. Leslie Travers of his being more definite than usual.
the plural of “this”: the people or things near, or just mentioned
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
inflected form of “take” — carry out
From this reading It took the form with Mr. Leslie Travers of his being more definite than usual.
Travers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It took the form with Mr. Leslie Travers of his being more definite than usual.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
typistsnounUS /ˈtaɪpɪsts/
plural of “typist” — someone paid to operate a typewriter
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
unbearableadjectiveUS /ənˈberəbəl/
incapable of being tolerated or endured
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
usualadjectiveUS /ˈjuːʒəwəl/
occurring or encountered or experienced or observed frequently or in accordance with regular practice or procedure
From this reading It took the form with Mr. Leslie Travers of his being more definite than usual.
precisely as stated
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He was an extremely intelligent man, and most of his intelligence consisted in knowing where other people were wrong.
at the time that
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
in or at the place that
From this reading He was an extremely intelligent man, and most of his intelligence consisted in knowing where other people were wrong.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading Stella wished, as she had often wished before, that the inner office in which she worked could not be invaded by the manner in which Mr. Travers conducted his interviews.
past form of “wish” — hope for; have a wish
From this reading Stella wished, as she had often wished before, that the inner office in which she worked could not be invaded by the manner in which Mr. Travers conducted his interviews.
in the company of; together with
From this reading It took the form with Mr. Leslie Travers of his being more definite than usual.
withdrewverbUS /wɪθˈdruː/
inflected form of “withdraw” — pull back or move away or backward
From this reading The heat lent an almost unbearable edge to these inspirations; the office boy, the mayor's secretary, and two typists withdrew from his sanctum as if they had been in direct contact with a razor.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading It was a very hot morning in July, a morning when work begins slowly, continues irritably, and is likely to incite human paroxysms of forgetfulness and temper.
past form of “work” — exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Stella wished, as she had often wished before, that the inner office in which she worked could not be invaded by the manner in which Mr. Travers conducted his interviews.
not correct; not in conformity with fact or truth
From this reading He was an extremely intelligent man, and most of his intelligence consisted in knowing where other people were wrong.
