used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
agitationnounUS /ˌædʒəˈteɪʃən/
a mental state of extreme emotional disturbance
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The handle of the door turned, and Fleda had only time to jerk at him: "Your mother!"
declared publicly; made widely known
From this reading The door opened, and the smutty maid, edging in, announced "Mrs. Brigstock!"
from appearances alone
From this reading For Mrs. Brigstock there was apparently more in it than met the eye.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The handle of the door turned, and Fleda had only time to jerk at him: "Your mother!"
attachverbUS /əˈtætʃ/
cause to be attached
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
biscuitnounUS /ˈbɪskət/
small round bread leavened with baking-powder or soda
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
Brigstock
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The door opened, and the smutty maid, edging in, announced "Mrs. Brigstock!"
brushedadjectiveUS /brʌʃt/
touched lightly in passing; grazed against
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
carpetnounUS /ˈkɑːrpət/
floor covering consisting of a piece of thick heavy fabric (usually with nap or pile)
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The handle of the door turned, and Fleda had only time to jerk at him: "Your mother!"
the entrance (the space in a wall) through which you enter or leave a room or building; the space that a door can close
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
without doubt; certainly
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
edgingnounUS /ˈedʒɪŋ/
border consisting of anything placed on the edge to finish something (such as a fringe on clothing or on a rug)
From this reading The door opened, and the smutty maid, edging in, announced "Mrs. Brigstock!"
the organ of sight
From this reading For Mrs. Brigstock there was apparently more in it than met the eye.
opinion or judgment
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
Fleda
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The handle of the door turned, and Fleda had only time to jerk at him: "Your mother!"
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading For Mrs. Brigstock there was apparently more in it than met the eye.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
the act of giving
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The handle of the door turned, and Fleda had only time to jerk at him: "Your mother!"
be in charge of, act on, or dispose of
From this reading The handle of the door turned, and Fleda had only time to jerk at him: "Your mother!"
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading The handle of the door turned, and Fleda had only time to jerk at him: "Your mother!"
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
used in negative statement to describe a situation that has existed up to this point or up to the present time
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The door opened, and the smutty maid, edging in, announced "Mrs. Brigstock!"
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
jerkverbUS /dʒɜːrk/
pull, or move with a sudden movement
From this reading The handle of the door turned, and Fleda had only time to jerk at him: "Your mother!"
set down according to a plan
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
lainverbUS /leɪn/
inflected form of “lie” — be located or situated somewhere; occupy a certain position
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
a female domestic
From this reading The door opened, and the smutty maid, edging in, announced "Mrs. Brigstock!"
inflected form of “meet” — come together
From this reading For Mrs. Brigstock there was apparently more in it than met the eye.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading For Mrs. Brigstock there was apparently more in it than met the eye.
a woman who has given birth to a child (also used as a term of address to your mother)
From this reading The handle of the door turned, and Fleda had only time to jerk at him: "Your mother!"
a change of position that does not entail a change of location
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading The door opened, and the smutty maid, edging in, announced "Mrs. Brigstock!"
nibbleverbUS /ˈnɪbəl/
bite off very small pieces
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
a tangible and visible entity; an entity that can cast a shadow
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
occupantsnounUS /ˈɑːkjəpənts/
plural of “occupant” — someone who lives at a particular place for a prolonged period or who was born there
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The handle of the door turned, and Fleda had only time to jerk at him: "Your mother!"
from a particular thing or place or position (“forth” is obsolete)
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
and nothing more
From this reading The handle of the door turned, and Fleda had only time to jerk at him: "Your mother!"
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading The door opened, and the smutty maid, edging in, announced "Mrs. Brigstock!"
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
OwennounUS /ˈoʊən/
Welsh industrialist and social reformer who founded cooperative communities (1771-1858)
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
perfunctoryadjectiveUS /pərˈfʌŋktəri/
hasty and without attention to detail; not thorough
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
influenced or controlled by a powerful force such as a strong emotion
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
precipitateverbUS /prɪˈsɪpɪteɪt/
bring about abruptly
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
cut with a saw
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
smuttyadjectiveUS /ˈsmʌtiː/
characterized by obscenity
From this reading The door opened, and the smutty maid, edging in, announced "Mrs. Brigstock!"
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
subsequentlyadverbUS /ˈsʌbsəkwəntli/
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
a beverage made by steeping tea leaves in water
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
used to introduce the second part of a comparison
From this reading For Mrs. Brigstock there was apparently more in it than met the eye.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The handle of the door turned, and Fleda had only time to jerk at him: "Your mother!"
used when the people doing the action are also its object
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
in or at that place or location
From this reading For Mrs. Brigstock there was apparently more in it than met the eye.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading The handle of the door turned, and Fleda had only time to jerk at him: "Your mother!"
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The handle of the door turned, and Fleda had only time to jerk at him: "Your mother!"
moved around an axis or center
From this reading The handle of the door turned, and Fleda had only time to jerk at him: "Your mother!"
unnoticedadjectiveUS /ənˈnoʊtɪst/
not noticed
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading This was the biscuit of which, on giving Owen his tea, Fleda had taken a perfunctory nibble: she had immediately laid it on the table, and that subsequently, in some precipitate movement, she should have brushed it off was doubtless a sign of the agitation that possessed her.
XVnoun
the cardinal number that is the sum of fourteen and one
From this reading XV Mrs. Brigstock, in the doorway, stood looking from one of the occupants of the room to the other; then they saw her eyes attach themselves to a small object that had lain hitherto unnoticed on the carpet.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading The handle of the door turned, and Fleda had only time to jerk at him: "Your mother!"
