English

It was then that she saw, pinned up over the washstand, a sheet of paper on which was scrawled an enormous note of interrogation. Nothing more.

1. interrogation mark (n.) a question mark

Meaningless at first, it gradually became menacing, obnoxious, portentous with evil.

2. menacing [ˋmenəsiŋ] (adj.) intended to seriously threaten or frighten someone

    Example: a menacing look/ tone

    menacingly (adv.)

    menace (v.) to threaten someone or something

    Example: farmland menaced by frequent floods

    (n.) someone or something that is dangerous and likely to cause harm

    Example: the growing menace of global pollution

    Example: The escaped prisoners are considered a menace to society.

    (n.) someone or something that annoys or threatens you

    Example: The traffic manace grew, and the town began to suffer.

    (n.) a threatening quality or feeling

    Example: an air of menace in his voice

    with menaces [ legal ] if someone tries to get money with manaces, they threaten to harm someone unless they get the money they want

3. obnoxious  [əbˋnɑkʃəs] (adj.) very rude, offensive, or unpleasant

    Example: an obnoxious child/ habbit

    abnoxiously (adv.), abnoxiousness (n.)

4. portentous  [porˋtɛntəs] (adj.) [ formal ] giving a warning about the future

    (adj.) trying to seem very serious and important in order to impress people

    portentously (adv.), portentousness (n.)

    portent (n.) [ literary ] a warning or warnings about the future

The ladies voices grew animated, and ─if the sad truth be owned─ a little peevish.

5. peevish  [ˋpivɪʃ] (adj.) easily annoyed, especially by things that are not important

    peevishly (adv.), peevishness (n.)