used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
abstractedlyadverb
in an absentminded or preoccupied manner
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
the part of the day between noon and evening
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
BlairnounUS /bler/
British statesman who became prime minister in 1997 (born in 1953)
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
boardedverbUS /ˈbɔːrdəd/
past form of “board” — get on board of (trains, buses, ships, aircraft, etc.)
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
caresnounUS /kerz/
plural of “care” — the work of providing treatment for or attending to someone or something
From this reading The Lobbyist Fate, woman-like, cares not what means she employs to hurt.
plural of “come” — the thick white fluid containing spermatozoa that is ejaculated by the male genital tract
From this reading She takes what comes first to hand.
compartmentnounUS /kəmˈpɑːrtmənt/
a space into which an area is subdivided
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
Danvers
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
doublingnounUS /ˈdʌbəlɪŋ/
increase by a factor of two
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
drummersnounUS /ˈdrʌmərz/
plural of “drummer” — someone who plays a drum
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
effectiveadjectiveUS /ɪˈfektɪv/
producing or capable of producing an intended result or having a striking effect
From this reading Sometimes the more unlikely the weapon, the more effective is its use.
employsnounUS /emˈplɔɪz/
plural of “employ” — the state of being employed or having a job
From this reading The Lobbyist Fate, woman-like, cares not what means she employs to hurt.
make void or empty of contents
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
past form of “enter” — to come or go into
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
an event (or a course of events) that will inevitably happen in the future
From this reading The Lobbyist Fate, woman-like, cares not what means she employs to hurt.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading She takes what comes first to hand.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
set up or found
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
-ing form of “gaze” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
From this reading She takes what comes first to hand.
HelenanounUS /ˈhelənə/
capital of the state of Montana; located in western Montana
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
be the source of pain
From this reading The Lobbyist Fate, woman-like, cares not what means she employs to hurt.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Sometimes the more unlikely the weapon, the more effective is its use.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading Sometimes the more unlikely the weapon, the more effective is its use.
LobbyistnounUS /ˈlɑːbiəst/
someone who is employed to persuade legislators to vote for legislation that favors the lobbyist's employer
From this reading The Lobbyist Fate, woman-like, cares not what means she employs to hurt.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
thing or person that acts to produce a particular effect or achieve an end
From this reading The Lobbyist Fate, woman-like, cares not what means she employs to hurt.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
MontananounUS /mɑːnˈtænə/
a state in northwestern United States on the Canadian border
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading Sometimes the more unlikely the weapon, the more effective is its use.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The Lobbyist Fate, woman-like, cares not what means she employs to hurt.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
overtakeverbUS /ˈoʊvərteɪk/
catch up with and possibly overtake
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
plainsnounUS /pleɪnz/
plural of “plain” — extensive tract of level open land
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
Identical; not different.
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
except for; apart from
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Lobbyist Fate, woman-like, cares not what means she employs to hurt.
sleepernounUS /ˈsliːpər/
a rester who is sleeping
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
a deliberate discourteous act (usually as an expression of anger or disapproval)
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
the act of smoking tobacco or other substances
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
on certain occasions or in certain cases but not always
From this reading Sometimes the more unlikely the weapon, the more effective is its use.
a facility equipped with special equipment and personnel for a particular purpose
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
plural of “take” — the income or profit arising from such transactions as the sale of land or other property
From this reading She takes what comes first to hand.
talkativeadjectiveUS /ˈtɔːkətɪv/
full of trivial conversation
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Lobbyist Fate, woman-like, cares not what means she employs to hurt.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Lobbyist Fate, woman-like, cares not what means she employs to hurt.
create by training and teaching
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
tested and proved useful or correct
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
unlikelyadjectiveUS /ənˈlaɪkli/
not likely to be true or to occur or to have occurred
From this reading Sometimes the more unlikely the weapon, the more effective is its use.
the act of using
From this reading Sometimes the more unlikely the weapon, the more effective is its use.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
any instrument or instrumentality used in fighting or hunting
From this reading Sometimes the more unlikely the weapon, the more effective is its use.
weary-looking
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
west-bound
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The same afternoon that Danvers tried to overtake Miss Blair, two talkative drummers boarded the west-bound train at a small Montana station, doubling back to Helena.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading The Lobbyist Fate, woman-like, cares not what means she employs to hurt.
which person or people
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
wintryadjectiveUS /ˈwɪntri/
characteristic of or occurring in winter
From this reading As they entered the smoking compartment of a sleeper they found it empty save for a slight, weary-looking man who was gazing abstractedly at the wintry plains.
woman-like
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Lobbyist Fate, woman-like, cares not what means she employs to hurt.
