used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
adjustverbUS /əˈdʒʌst/
alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading But his frown relaxed almost immediately and his lips separated, showing a gleam of teeth.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading FROM THE HEIGHTS Hammersley had him covered, and the General made no move to defend himself.
weapons considered collectively
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
a relatively permanent inclination to react in a particular way
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But his frown relaxed almost immediately and his lips separated, showing a gleam of teeth.
complimentsnounUS /ˈkɑːmpləments/
(usually plural) a polite expression of desire for someone's welfare
From this reading “My compliments, Herr Hammersley,” he said.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading FROM THE HEIGHTS Hammersley had him covered, and the General made no move to defend himself.
defendverbUS /dɪˈfend/
argue or speak in defense of
From this reading FROM THE HEIGHTS Hammersley had him covered, and the General made no move to defend himself.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading “You have done well.
opinion or judgment
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
past form of “fold” — bend or lay so that one part covers the other
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading FROM THE HEIGHTS Hammersley had him covered, and the General made no move to defend himself.
frownverbUS /fraʊn/
look angry or sullen, wrinkle one's forehead, as if to signal disapproval
From this reading But his frown relaxed almost immediately and his lips separated, showing a gleam of teeth.
applying to all or most members of a category or group
From this reading FROM THE HEIGHTS Hammersley had him covered, and the General made no move to defend himself.
gleamverbUS /ɡliːm/
be shiny, as if wet
From this reading But his frown relaxed almost immediately and his lips separated, showing a gleam of teeth.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading FROM THE HEIGHTS Hammersley had him covered, and the General made no move to defend himself.
Hammersley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading FROM THE HEIGHTS Hammersley had him covered, and the General made no move to defend himself.
Hammersley's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading “You have done well.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
HEIGHTSnounUS /haɪts/
a high place
From this reading FROM THE HEIGHTS Hammersley had him covered, and the General made no move to defend himself.
HerrnounUS /her/
a German man; used before the name as a title equivalent to Mr in English
From this reading “My compliments, Herr Hammersley,” he said.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading FROM THE HEIGHTS Hammersley had him covered, and the General made no move to defend himself.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading FROM THE HEIGHTS Hammersley had him covered, and the General made no move to defend himself.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading But his frown relaxed almost immediately and his lips separated, showing a gleam of teeth.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading But his frown relaxed almost immediately and his lips separated, showing a gleam of teeth.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading FROM THE HEIGHTS Hammersley had him covered, and the General made no move to defend himself.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading FROM THE HEIGHTS Hammersley had him covered, and the General made no move to defend himself.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading “My compliments, Herr Hammersley,” he said.
not any; not one
From this reading FROM THE HEIGHTS Hammersley had him covered, and the General made no move to defend himself.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading But his frown relaxed almost immediately and his lips separated, showing a gleam of teeth.
peeringverbUS /ˈpiːrɪŋ/
-ing form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
relaxedadjectiveUS /rɪˈlækst/
without strain or anxiety
From this reading But his frown relaxed almost immediately and his lips separated, showing a gleam of teeth.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading “My compliments, Herr Hammersley,” he said.
being or feeling set or kept apart from others
From this reading But his frown relaxed almost immediately and his lips separated, showing a gleam of teeth.
short-sighted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
the display of a motion picture
From this reading But his frown relaxed almost immediately and his lips separated, showing a gleam of teeth.
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
the kind and number and arrangement of teeth (collectively) in a person or animal
From this reading But his frown relaxed almost immediately and his lips separated, showing a gleam of teeth.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading FROM THE HEIGHTS Hammersley had him covered, and the General made no move to defend himself.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading FROM THE HEIGHTS Hammersley had him covered, and the General made no move to defend himself.
hard to endure
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
unaccustomedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnəˈkʌstəmd/
unusual or unfamiliar
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
a vivid mental image
From this reading He bent his head and folded his arms, peering into Hammersley’s eyes like a short-sighted man trying to adjust his vision to an unaccustomed task.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading “You have done well.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “You have done well.
