English

He turned towards her frowning, as if she had disturbed him in some abstract quest.

1. frown [fraʊn] (v.) to move your eyebrows down and closer together because you are annoyed, worried, or thinking hard

    Example: Sarah frowned and shook her head.

    frown on sb/ sth to not approve of something

    Example: Personal phone calls are frowned on at work.

    (n.) an expression on your face made by moving your eyebrows down and closer together that shows you are annoyed, worried, or thinking hard

    Example: He put down his book with a slight frown.

"And would you─" and hope that he would complete the sentence for himself, averting his eyes from her nakedness like the knight in that beautiful picture.

2. avert  [əˋvɝt] to prevent something bad or harmful from happening

    avert your eyes/ gaze/ head etc to turn your eyes or face away from something that you don't want to see

Leaning her elbows on the parapet, she contemplated the River Arno, whose roar was suggesting some unexpected melody to her ears.

3. contemplate  [ˋkɑntɛm͵plet] (v.) to consider doing something in the future

    Example: I'm contemplating retirement next year.

    Example: He refuses even to contemplate moving house again.

    (v.) to consider the possibility of something happening

    Example: We're not even contemplating defeat.

    too awful/ dreadful etc to contemplate

    Example: The alternative is too horrible to contemplate.

    (v.) to think very carefully about something for a long time

    Example: I haven't got time to sit around contemplating the meaning of life.

    (v.) [ mainly literary ] to look at something or someone for a long time

    Example: He stood contemplating his image in the mirror.

    contemplative (adj.) spending a lot of time thinking very carefully about something

    contemplation (n.) the process of thinking about something or looking at something for a long time

There was really something blameworthy (she thought) in their joint contemplation of the shadowy stream, in the common impulse which had turned them to the house without the passing of a look or word.

4. impulse  [ˋɪmpʌls] (n.) a sudden strong feeling that you must do something

    control/ resist an impulse

    Example: He struggled to resist the impulse to laugh.

    Example: Acting on impulse, he knocked on her door.

Sit down, dear; your are too unselfish; you don't assert yourself enough.

5. assert [əˋsɝt] (v.) to state firmly that something is true

    Example: He asserted his innocence.

    (v.) to behave or do something in a confident way

    Example: She always manages to assert her point of view.

    assert yourself ( = to state your opinion firmly and confidently )

    Example: Don't be so shy ─ you need to learn to assert yourself.

    (v.) to claim that you have the right to do something or behave in a particular way

    Example: This system discourages people from asserting their rights in court.

    (v.) if a fact, idea, or tendency asserts itself, it begins to influence someone or something

    Example: After a while her old bad habits began to assert themselves.

    assertion (n.) a definite statement or claim that something is true

    assertive (adj.) behaving in a confident way in which you are quick to express your opinions and feelings

    Example: You need to be more assertive to succeed in business.

    assertiveness (n.), assertively (adv.)