used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading He had followed her across the room and paused in front of her.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
past form of “ask” — make a request or demand for something to somebody
From this reading "Still conscious of your pearls?" asked Guy Trenholm.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading BLACKMAIL BETTY CARTER watched Miriam disappear up the staircase before she moved.
BETTY
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BLACKMAIL BETTY CARTER watched Miriam disappear up the staircase before she moved.
BLACKMAILverbUS /ˈblækmeɪl/
exert pressure on someone through threats
From this reading BLACKMAIL BETTY CARTER watched Miriam disappear up the staircase before she moved.
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading Betty crimsoned from neck to brow and her eyes flamed with wrath.
CARTERnounUS /ˈkɑːrtər/
Englishman and Egyptologist who in 1922 discovered and excavated the tomb of Tutankhamen (1873-1939)
From this reading BLACKMAIL BETTY CARTER watched Miriam disappear up the staircase before she moved.
intentionally conceived
From this reading "Still conscious of your pearls?" asked Guy Trenholm.
crimsoned
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Betty crimsoned from neck to brow and her eyes flamed with wrath.
traveling across
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
disappearverbUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɪr/
get lost, as without warning or explanation
From this reading BLACKMAIL BETTY CARTER watched Miriam disappear up the staircase before she moved.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Betty crimsoned from neck to brow and her eyes flamed with wrath.
start firing a weapon
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
flamedverbUS /fleɪmd/
past form of “flame” — shine with a sudden light
From this reading Betty crimsoned from neck to brow and her eyes flamed with wrath.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading He had followed her across the room and paused in front of her.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Betty crimsoned from neck to brow and her eyes flamed with wrath.
the side that is forward or prominent
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
an informal term for a youth or man
From this reading "Still conscious of your pearls?" asked Guy Trenholm.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading He had followed her across the room and paused in front of her.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He had followed her across the room and paused in front of her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
idlyadverbUS /ˈaɪdli/
in an idle manner
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
the experience of being alive; the course of human events and activities
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
Miriam
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading BLACKMAIL BETTY CARTER watched Miriam disappear up the staircase before she moved.
being excited or provoked to the expression of an emotion
From this reading BLACKMAIL BETTY CARTER watched Miriam disappear up the staircase before she moved.
the part of an organism (human or animal) that connects the head to the rest of the body
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
past form of “pause” — interrupt temporarily an activity before continuing
From this reading He had followed her across the room and paused in front of her.
pearlsnounUS /pɜːrlz/
plural of “pearl” — a smooth lustrous round structure inside the shell of a clam or oyster; much valued as a jewel
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
an area within a building enclosed by walls and floor and ceiling
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading BLACKMAIL BETTY CARTER watched Miriam disappear up the staircase before she moved.
(photography) the act of assuming a certain position (as for a photograph or portrait)
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
staircasenounUS /ˈsterkeɪs/
a way of access (upward and downward) consisting of a set of steps
From this reading BLACKMAIL BETTY CARTER watched Miriam disappear up the staircase before she moved.
not in physical motion
From this reading "Still conscious of your pearls?" asked Guy Trenholm.
(of a nose) blocked
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
a lightweight cord
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading BLACKMAIL BETTY CARTER watched Miriam disappear up the staircase before she moved.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Betty crimsoned from neck to brow and her eyes flamed with wrath.
toyedverbUS /tɔɪd/
past form of “toy” — behave carelessly or indifferently
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
Trenholm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Still conscious of your pearls?" asked Guy Trenholm.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading BLACKMAIL BETTY CARTER watched Miriam disappear up the staircase before she moved.
warmedadjectiveUS /wɔːrmd/
having been warmed up
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
past form of “watch” — look attentively
From this reading BLACKMAIL BETTY CARTER watched Miriam disappear up the staircase before she moved.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Crossing the living room she stopped in front of the fire and warmed her hands, then sitting down she toyed idly with a string of pearls about her neck.
intense anger (usually on an epic scale)
From this reading Betty crimsoned from neck to brow and her eyes flamed with wrath.
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Still conscious of your pearls?" asked Guy Trenholm.
