used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading He had had his serious, almost ascetic moods, his despondencies, his flights of folly, his impulses of stern ambition, his hours of morbid brooding and of reckless gayety.
at all times; all the time and on every occasion
From this reading Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
a cherished desire
From this reading He had had his serious, almost ascetic moods, his despondencies, his flights of folly, his impulses of stern ambition, his hours of morbid brooding and of reckless gayety.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
appropriateverbUS /əˈproʊpriət/
give or assign a resource to a particular person or cause
From this reading He had sounded every note in the gamut of emotions appropriate to a man in his position.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
asceticadjectiveUS /əˈsetɪk/
pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic or the practice of rigorous self-discipline
From this reading He had had his serious, almost ascetic moods, his despondencies, his flights of folly, his impulses of stern ambition, his hours of morbid brooding and of reckless gayety.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It seemed to him to be something which the natural evolution of that life demanded.
broodingnounUS /ˈbruːdɪŋ/
sitting on eggs so as to hatch them by the warmth of the body
From this reading He had had his serious, almost ascetic moods, his despondencies, his flights of folly, his impulses of stern ambition, his hours of morbid brooding and of reckless gayety.
a position on a scale of intensity or amount or quality
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
past form of “demand” — request urgently and forcefully
From this reading It seemed to him to be something which the natural evolution of that life demanded.
despondencies
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had his serious, almost ascetic moods, his despondencies, his flights of folly, his impulses of stern ambition, his hours of morbid brooding and of reckless gayety.
emotionsnounUS /ɪˈmoʊʃənz/
plural of “emotion” — any strong feeling
From this reading He had sounded every note in the gamut of emotions appropriate to a man in his position.
everydeterminerUS /ˈevəri/
all the members of a group, with none left out
From this reading He had sounded every note in the gamut of emotions appropriate to a man in his position.
evolutionnounUS /ˌevəˈluːʃən/
a process in which something passes by degrees to a different stage (especially a more advanced or mature stage)
From this reading It seemed to him to be something which the natural evolution of that life demanded.
considered likely or probable to happen or arrive
From this reading Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
opinion or judgment
From this reading Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
flightsnounUS /flaɪts/
plural of “flight” — a formation of aircraft in flight
From this reading He had had his serious, almost ascetic moods, his despondencies, his flights of folly, his impulses of stern ambition, his hours of morbid brooding and of reckless gayety.
the trait of acting stupidly or rashly
From this reading He had had his serious, almost ascetic moods, his despondencies, his flights of folly, his impulses of stern ambition, his hours of morbid brooding and of reckless gayety.
set up or found
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
gamutnounUS /ˈɡæmət/
a complete extent or range: "a face that expressed a gamut of emotions"
From this reading He had sounded every note in the gamut of emotions appropriate to a man in his position.
gayety
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading He had had his serious, almost ascetic moods, his despondencies, his flights of folly, his impulses of stern ambition, his hours of morbid brooding and of reckless gayety.
a young female
From this reading Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
a neutral achromatic color midway between white and black
From this reading Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
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 Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading It seemed to him to be something which the natural evolution of that life demanded.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
a period of time assigned for work
From this reading He had had his serious, almost ascetic moods, his despondencies, his flights of folly, his impulses of stern ambition, his hours of morbid brooding and of reckless gayety.
impulsesnounUS /ˈɪmpəlsɪz/
plural of “impulse” — an instinctive motive
From this reading He had had his serious, almost ascetic moods, his despondencies, his flights of folly, his impulses of stern ambition, his hours of morbid brooding and of reckless gayety.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
the superlative of “little” that can be used with mass nouns and is usually preceded by “the”; a quantifier meaning smallest in amount or extent or degree
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading He had sounded every note in the gamut of emotions appropriate to a man in his position.
a formally arranged gathering
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
moodsnounUS /muːdz/
plural of “mood” — a characteristic (habitual or relatively temporary) state of feeling
From this reading He had had his serious, almost ascetic moods, his despondencies, his flights of folly, his impulses of stern ambition, his hours of morbid brooding and of reckless gayety.
morbidadjectiveUS /ˈmɔːrbəd/
suggesting an unhealthy mental state
From this reading He had had his serious, almost ascetic moods, his despondencies, his flights of folly, his impulses of stern ambition, his hours of morbid brooding and of reckless gayety.
in accordance with nature; relating to or concerning nature
From this reading It seemed to him to be something which the natural evolution of that life demanded.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
a brief written record
From this reading He had sounded every note in the gamut of emotions appropriate to a man in his position.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading It seemed to him to be something which the natural evolution of that life demanded.
the particular portion of space occupied by something
From this reading He had sounded every note in the gamut of emotions appropriate to a man in his position.
recklessadjectiveUS /ˈrekləs/
marked by defiant disregard for danger or consequences
From this reading He had had his serious, almost ascetic moods, his despondencies, his flights of folly, his impulses of stern ambition, his hours of morbid brooding and of reckless gayety.
revolvedadjectiveUS /riˈvɑːlvd/
turned in a circle around an axis
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
ruddyadjectiveUS /ˈrʌdi/
inclined to a healthy reddish color often associated with outdoor life
From this reading Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
past form of “seem” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading It seemed to him to be something which the natural evolution of that life demanded.
concerned with work or important matters rather than play or trivialities
From this reading He had had his serious, almost ascetic moods, his despondencies, his flights of folly, his impulses of stern ambition, his hours of morbid brooding and of reckless gayety.
in some unspecified way or manner; or by some unspecified means
From this reading Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
a thing, without saying which
From this reading It seemed to him to be something which the natural evolution of that life demanded.
past form of “sound” — appear in a certain way
From this reading He had sounded every note in the gamut of emotions appropriate to a man in his position.
any maneuver made as part of progress toward a goal
From this reading Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
sternadjectiveUS /stɜːrn/
of a stern or strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect
From this reading He had had his serious, almost ascetic moods, his despondencies, his flights of folly, his impulses of stern ambition, his hours of morbid brooding and of reckless gayety.
happening unexpectedly
From this reading Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
the astonishment you feel when something totally unexpected happens to you
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It seemed to him to be something which the natural evolution of that life demanded.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Now, as he revolved the meeting in his mind, he found that it was not in the least degree a surprise.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading It seemed to him to be something which the natural evolution of that life demanded.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading Somehow, he had always expected that this girl would step suddenly into his life, with her ruddy hair and her gray eyes.
