used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Morgan's teeth closed with a slight click.
presently existing in fact and not merely potential or possible
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
matters of personal concern
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The sinews of his chest and arms tightened.
Queen of England and Scotland and Ireland; daughter if James II and the last of the Stuart monarchs; in 1707 she was the last English ruler to exercise the royal veto over parliament (1665-1714)
From this reading He might undertake to rebuke Boone openly but could hardly assume so high-handed a course with Anne--or in her presence.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading The sinews of his chest and arms tightened.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
assumeverbUS /əˈsuːm/
take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof
From this reading He might undertake to rebuke Boone openly but could hardly assume so high-handed a course with Anne--or in her presence.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
BoonenounUS /buːn/
an American pioneer and guide and explorer (1734-1820)
From this reading He might undertake to rebuke Boone openly but could hardly assume so high-handed a course with Anne--or in her presence.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Such insolence rightfully called for the chastisement of cane or dog-whip, he thought, but that was impossible.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading Such insolence rightfully called for the chastisement of cane or dog-whip, he thought, but that was impossible.
canenounUS /keɪn/
a stick that people can lean on to help them walk
From this reading Such insolence rightfully called for the chastisement of cane or dog-whip, he thought, but that was impossible.
chastisementnoun
verbal punishment
From this reading Such insolence rightfully called for the chastisement of cane or dog-whip, he thought, but that was impossible.
the part of the human torso between the neck and the diaphragm or the corresponding part in other vertebrates
From this reading The sinews of his chest and arms tightened.
clickverbUS /klɪk/
move or strike with a noise
From this reading Morgan's teeth closed with a slight click.
not open or affording passage or access
From this reading Morgan's teeth closed with a slight click.
direct the course of; manage or control
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
construedverbUS /kənˈstruːd/
past form of “construe” — make sense of; assign a meaning to
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He might undertake to rebuke Boone openly but could hardly assume so high-handed a course with Anne--or in her presence.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading He might undertake to rebuke Boone openly but could hardly assume so high-handed a course with Anne--or in her presence.
dog-whip
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Such insolence rightfully called for the chastisement of cane or dog-whip, he thought, but that was impossible.
embraceverbUS /emˈbreɪs/
include in scope; include as part of something broader; have as one's sphere or territory
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Such insolence rightfully called for the chastisement of cane or dog-whip, he thought, but that was impossible.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
only a very short time before
From this reading He might undertake to rebuke Boone openly but could hardly assume so high-handed a course with Anne--or in her presence.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Such insolence rightfully called for the chastisement of cane or dog-whip, he thought, but that was impossible.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading He might undertake to rebuke Boone openly but could hardly assume so high-handed a course with Anne--or in her presence.
high-handedadjective
given to haughty disregard of others
From this reading He might undertake to rebuke Boone openly but could hardly assume so high-handed a course with Anne--or in her presence.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The sinews of his chest and arms tightened.
not capable of occurring or being accomplished or dealt with
From this reading Such insolence rightfully called for the chastisement of cane or dog-whip, he thought, but that was impossible.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading He might undertake to rebuke Boone openly but could hardly assume so high-handed a course with Anne--or in her presence.
insolencenounUS /ˈɪnsələns/
the trait of being rude and impertinent; inclined to take liberties
From this reading Such insolence rightfully called for the chastisement of cane or dog-whip, he thought, but that was impossible.
intimationnounUS /ˌɪntəˈmeɪʃən/
an indirect suggestion
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He might undertake to rebuke Boone openly but could hardly assume so high-handed a course with Anne--or in her presence.
Morgan'snounUS /ˈmɔːrɡənz/
possessive form of “morgan” — United States anthropologist who studied the Seneca (1818-1881)
From this reading Morgan's teeth closed with a slight click.
in spite of what has just been said
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
not any; not one
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The sinews of his chest and arms tightened.
openlyadverbUS /ˈoʊpənli/
in an open way
From this reading He might undertake to rebuke Boone openly but could hardly assume so high-handed a course with Anne--or in her presence.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Such insolence rightfully called for the chastisement of cane or dog-whip, he thought, but that was impossible.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading He might undertake to rebuke Boone openly but could hardly assume so high-handed a course with Anne--or in her presence.
with low volume
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
rebukeverbUS /riˈbjuːk/
censure severely or angrily
From this reading He might undertake to rebuke Boone openly but could hardly assume so high-handed a course with Anne--or in her presence.
rightfullyadverbUS /ˈraɪtfəli/
by right
From this reading Such insolence rightfully called for the chastisement of cane or dog-whip, he thought, but that was impossible.
sinews
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The sinews of his chest and arms tightened.
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
From this reading Morgan's teeth closed with a slight click.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading He might undertake to rebuke Boone openly but could hardly assume so high-handed a course with Anne--or in her presence.
stairheadnoun
platform at the top of a staircase
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading Such insolence rightfully called for the chastisement of cane or dog-whip, he thought, but that was impossible.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading Morgan's teeth closed with a slight click.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Such insolence rightfully called for the chastisement of cane or dog-whip, he thought, but that was impossible.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The sinews of his chest and arms tightened.
the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about
From this reading Such insolence rightfully called for the chastisement of cane or dog-whip, he thought, but that was impossible.
tightenedverbUS /ˈtaɪtənd/
past form of “tighten” — make tight or tighter
From this reading The sinews of his chest and arms tightened.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading He might undertake to rebuke Boone openly but could hardly assume so high-handed a course with Anne--or in her presence.
moved around an axis or center
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
undertakeverbUS /ˈʌndərteɪk/
enter upon an activity or enterprise
From this reading He might undertake to rebuke Boone openly but could hardly assume so high-handed a course with Anne--or in her presence.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Such insolence rightfully called for the chastisement of cane or dog-whip, he thought, but that was impossible.
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
inflected form of “go” — change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Morgan's teeth closed with a slight click.
someone who sees an event and reports what happened
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading He would nevertheless conduct his own affairs in his own way; so, quietly and with no intimation that he had been a witness to what he construed as an actual embrace, he turned and went back to the stairhead.
