used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
abstractedadjectiveUS /ˈæbstræktɪd/
lost in thought; showing preoccupation
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
inconsistent with reason or logic or common sense
From this reading It was absurd, it was farcical ... and it was all very disturbing.
alertnessnounUS /əˈlɜːrtnəs/
the process of paying close and continuous attention
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading It was absurd, it was farcical ... and it was all very disturbing.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mandleco stared at him, searched for the meaning there and then gave it up.
used to indicate that a statement explains or supports a previous statement
From this reading _Why had he ever committed himself to this situation anyway?
surrounding, or on every side of, something
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Mandleco stared at him, searched for the meaning there and then gave it up.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
Beardsley
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
Directly under; in or to a lower position than.
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
emitting or reflecting light readily or in large amounts
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
cause to change; make different; cause a transformation
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
the act of drawing spatially closer to something
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
bound or obligated, as under a pledge to a particular cause, action, or attitude
From this reading _Why had he ever committed himself to this situation anyway?
Didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
disturbingadjectiveUS /dɪˈstɜːrbɪŋ/
causing distress or worry or anxiety
From this reading It was absurd, it was farcical ... and it was all very disturbing.
dregsnounUS /dreɡz/
sediment that has settled at the bottom of a liquid
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
divisible by two
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
at any time
From this reading _Why had he ever committed himself to this situation anyway?
opinion or judgment
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
farcicaladjectiveUS /ˈfɑːrsəkəl/
broadly or extravagantly humorous; resembling farce
From this reading It was absurd, it was farcical ... and it was all very disturbing.
plural of “feature” — a prominent attribute or aspect of something
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
a piece of land cleared of trees and usually enclosed
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
a diagram or picture illustrating textual material
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
flecksnounUS /fleks/
plural of “fleck” — a small fragment of something broken off from the whole
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
focusnounUS /ˈfoʊkəs/
the concentration of attention or energy on something
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading Mandleco stared at him, searched for the meaning there and then gave it up.
Not remembered; lapsed from memory.
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
fumblingadjectiveUS /ˈfʌmbəlɪŋ/
showing lack of skill or aptitude
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
inflected form of “give” — cause to have, in the abstract sense or physical sense
From this reading Mandleco stared at him, searched for the meaning there and then gave it up.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading _Why had he ever committed himself to this situation anyway?
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading _Why had he ever committed himself to this situation anyway?
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Mandleco stared at him, searched for the meaning there and then gave it up.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading _Why had he ever committed himself to this situation anyway?
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
irisnounUS /ˈaɪrəs/
plants with sword-shaped leaves and erect stalks bearing bright-colored flowers composed of three petals and three drooping sepals
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Mandleco stared at him, searched for the meaning there and then gave it up.
be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
lensesnounUS /ˈlenzəz/
plural of “lens” — a transparent optical device used to converge or diverge transmitted light and to form images
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
held up in the air
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
livening
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
-ing form of “lose” — fail to keep or to maintain; cease to have, either physically or in an abstract sense
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
Mandleco
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mandleco stared at him, searched for the meaning there and then gave it up.
the message that is intended or expressed or signified
From this reading Mandleco stared at him, searched for the meaning there and then gave it up.
mediocritynounUS /ˌmiːdiˈɑːkrəti/
ordinariness as a consequence of being average and not outstanding
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
and nothing more
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
on one occasion
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
the time that has elapsed
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
patheticadjectiveUS /pəˈθetɪk/
deserving or inciting pity
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
pretendedadjectiveUS /priˈtendɪd/
adopted in order to deceive
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
in accordance with truth or fact or reality
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
inspiring scornful pity
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
searchedverbUS /sɜːrtʃt/
past form of “search” — try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading Mandleco stared at him, searched for the meaning there and then gave it up.
(of something seen or heard) clearly defined
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
the general state of things; the combination of circumstances at a given time
From this reading _Why had he ever committed himself to this situation anyway?
a thing, without saying which
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading Mandleco stared at him, searched for the meaning there and then gave it up.
happening without warning or in a short space of time
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
having or feeling no doubt or uncertainty; confident and assured
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
terriernounUS /ˈteriər/
any of several usually small short-bodied breeds originally trained to hunt animals living underground
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Mandleco stared at him, searched for the meaning there and then gave it up.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Mandleco stared at him, searched for the meaning there and then gave it up.
in or at that place or location
From this reading Mandleco stared at him, searched for the meaning there and then gave it up.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading _Why had he ever committed himself to this situation anyway?
the plural of “that”: the people or things further away, or already known
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
very small
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading _Why had he ever committed himself to this situation anyway?
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Mandleco stared at him, searched for the meaning there and then gave it up.
precisely as stated
From this reading It was absurd, it was farcical ... and it was all very disturbing.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Did this little man really know as much as he pretended, or was he merely fumbling around in the dregs of a forgotten past?_ To be sure, Beardsley was a pathetic enough figure; but the man had once been great in his field, and there was something about him even now....
how something is done or how it happens
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading _Why had he ever committed himself to this situation anyway?
in the company of; together with
From this reading There was the sudden way Beardsley had of losing his abstracted look, the eyes beneath those ridiculous lenses coming to a sharp bright focus with tiny livening flecks in the gray of the iris; and the way the change lifted his features from mediocrity to the alertness of a terrier.
