used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Lord Peter finished a Scarlatti sonata, and sat looking thoughtfully at his own hands.
accentuatedverbUS /ækˈsentʃuːeɪtɪd/
past form of “accentuate” — to stress, single out as important
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
(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 At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Lord Peter finished a Scarlatti sonata, and sat looking thoughtfully at his own hands.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
aristocratnounUS /ərˈɪstəkræt/
a member of the aristocracy
From this reading Labour papers, softening down the chin, caricatured him as a typical aristocrat.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Labour papers, softening down the chin, caricatured him as a typical aristocrat.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Lord Peter finished a Scarlatti sonata, and sat looking thoughtfully at his own hands.
brushed-back
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
caricaturedverbUS /kərˈɪkətʃərd/
past form of “caricature” — represent in or produce a caricature of
From this reading Labour papers, softening down the chin, caricatured him as a typical aristocrat.
the protruding part of the lower jaw
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
compensationnounUS /ˌkɑːmpənˈseɪʃən/
something (such as money) given or received as payment or reparation (as for a service or loss or injury)
From this reading When he was playing, his rather hard grey eyes softened, and his long, indeterminate mouth hardened in compensation.
being or moving lower in position or less in some value
From this reading Labour papers, softening down the chin, caricatured him as a typical aristocrat.
opinion or judgment
From this reading When he was playing, his rather hard grey eyes softened, and his long, indeterminate mouth hardened in compensation.
plural of “finger” — any of the terminal members of the hand (sometimes excepting the thumb)
From this reading The fingers were long and muscular, with wide, flat joints and square tips.
(of materials or goods) brought to the desired final state
From this reading Lord Peter finished a Scarlatti sonata, and sat looking thoughtfully at his own hands.
having a surface without slope, tilt in which no part is higher or lower than another
From this reading The fingers were long and muscular, with wide, flat joints and square tips.
the part of the face above the eyes
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
having desirable or positive qualities especially those suitable for a thing specified
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
of an achromatic color of any lightness intermediate between the extremes of white and black
From this reading When he was playing, his rather hard grey eyes softened, and his long, indeterminate mouth hardened in compensation.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
a covering for the body (or parts of it) consisting of a dense growth of threadlike structures (as on the human head); helps to prevent heat loss
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
(with “in”) guardianship over; in divorce cases it is the right to house and care for and discipline a child
From this reading Lord Peter finished a Scarlatti sonata, and sat looking thoughtfully at his own hands.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading When he was playing, his rather hard grey eyes softened, and his long, indeterminate mouth hardened in compensation.
hardenedadjectiveUS /ˈhɑːrdənd/
used of persons; emotionally hardened
From this reading When he was playing, his rather hard grey eyes softened, and his long, indeterminate mouth hardened in compensation.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading When he was playing, his rather hard grey eyes softened, and his long, indeterminate mouth hardened in compensation.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Labour papers, softening down the chin, caricatured him as a typical aristocrat.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Lord Peter finished a Scarlatti sonata, and sat looking thoughtfully at his own hands.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading When he was playing, his rather hard grey eyes softened, and his long, indeterminate mouth hardened in compensation.
indeterminateadjectiveUS /ˌɪndɪˈtɜːrmɪnɪt/
not precisely determined or established; not fixed or known in advance
From this reading When he was playing, his rather hard grey eyes softened, and his long, indeterminate mouth hardened in compensation.
jointsnounUS /dʒɔɪnts/
plural of “joint” — (anatomy) the point of connection between two bones or elements of a skeleton (especially if it allows motion)
From this reading The fingers were long and muscular, with wide, flat joints and square tips.
a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
From this reading Labour papers, softening down the chin, caricatured him as a typical aristocrat.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading The fingers were long and muscular, with wide, flat joints and square tips.
the act of directing the eyes toward something and perceiving it visually
From this reading Lord Peter finished a Scarlatti sonata, and sat looking thoughtfully at his own hands.
plural of “look” — the feelings expressed on a person's face
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
terms referring to the Judeo-Christian God
From this reading Lord Peter finished a Scarlatti sonata, and sat looking thoughtfully at his own hands.
the opening through which food is taken in and vocalizations emerge
From this reading When he was playing, his rather hard grey eyes softened, and his long, indeterminate mouth hardened in compensation.
muscularadjectiveUS /ˈmʌskjələr/
of or relating to or consisting of muscle
From this reading The fingers were long and muscular, with wide, flat joints and square tips.
make or become more narrow or restricted
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
not any; not one
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Lord Peter finished a Scarlatti sonata, and sat looking thoughtfully at his own hands.
writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)
From this reading Labour papers, softening down the chin, caricatured him as a typical aristocrat.
disciple of Jesus and leader of the Apostles; regarded by Catholics as the vicar of Christ on earth and first Pope
From this reading Lord Peter finished a Scarlatti sonata, and sat looking thoughtfully at his own hands.
the act of playing a musical instrument
From this reading When he was playing, his rather hard grey eyes softened, and his long, indeterminate mouth hardened in compensation.
pretensionsnounUS /prəˈtenʃənz/
plural of “pretension” — a false or unsupportable quality
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
on the contrary
From this reading When he was playing, his rather hard grey eyes softened, and his long, indeterminate mouth hardened in compensation.
recedingnounUS /rɪˈsiːdɪŋ/
a slow or gradual disappearance
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
the seventh and last day of the week; observed as the Sabbath by Jews and some Christians
From this reading Lord Peter finished a Scarlatti sonata, and sat looking thoughtfully at his own hands.
Scarlatti
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Lord Peter finished a Scarlatti sonata, and sat looking thoughtfully at his own hands.
sleeknessnoun
the quality of being well-groomed and neatly tailored
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
softenedadjectiveUS /ˈsɔːfənd/
toned down
From this reading When he was playing, his rather hard grey eyes softened, and his long, indeterminate mouth hardened in compensation.
softeningnounUS /ˈsɔːfənɪŋ/
the process of becoming softer
From this reading Labour papers, softening down the chin, caricatured him as a typical aristocrat.
sonatanounUS /səˈnɑːtə/
a musical composition of 3 or 4 movements of contrasting forms
From this reading Lord Peter finished a Scarlatti sonata, and sat looking thoughtfully at his own hands.
spoiltadjective
having the character or disposition harmed by pampering or oversolicitous attention
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
make square
From this reading The fingers were long and muscular, with wide, flat joints and square tips.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The fingers were long and muscular, with wide, flat joints and square tips.
thoughtfullyadverbUS /ˈθɔːtfəli/
in a thoughtful manner
From this reading Lord Peter finished a Scarlatti sonata, and sat looking thoughtfully at his own hands.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
a more or less definite period of time now or previously present
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
tipsnounUS /tɪps/
plural of “tip” — the extreme end of something; especially something pointed
From this reading The fingers were long and muscular, with wide, flat joints and square tips.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
tow-coloured
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading At no other time had he any pretensions to good looks, and at all times he was spoilt by a long, narrow chin, and a long, receding forehead, accentuated by the brushed-back sleekness of his tow-coloured hair.
typicaladjectiveUS /ˈtɪpəkəl/
exhibiting the qualities or characteristics that identify a group or kind or category
From this reading Labour papers, softening down the chin, caricatured him as a typical aristocrat.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading When he was playing, his rather hard grey eyes softened, and his long, indeterminate mouth hardened in compensation.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The fingers were long and muscular, with wide, flat joints and square tips.
at the time that
From this reading When he was playing, his rather hard grey eyes softened, and his long, indeterminate mouth hardened in compensation.
having great (or a certain) extent from one side to the other
From this reading The fingers were long and muscular, with wide, flat joints and square tips.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The fingers were long and muscular, with wide, flat joints and square tips.
