used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she came to the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part of one of the girls.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she came to the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part of one of the girls.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
make calm or still
From this reading She often looked at Miss Norton and wondered what secrets were hidden under that calm exterior.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she came to the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part of one of the girls.
past form of “cause” — give rise to; cause to happen or occur, not always intentionally
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
Chrissie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chrissie in her private talks with her chum upheld that view of the matter, but Marjorie had her own opinions.
chumnounUS /tʃʌm/
a close friend who accompanies his buddies in their activities
From this reading Chrissie in her private talks with her chum upheld that view of the matter, but Marjorie had her own opinions.
a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration
From this reading After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she came to the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part of one of the girls.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
an artistic form of nonverbal communication
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
enquiries
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
exteriornounUS /ɪkˈstɪriər/
the region that is outside of something
From this reading She often looked at Miss Norton and wondered what secrets were hidden under that calm exterior.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
gardenernounUS /ˈɡɑːrdənər/
someone who takes care of a garden
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
plural of “girl” — a young female
From this reading After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she came to the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part of one of the girls.
groundsnounUS /ɡraʊndz/
your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she came to the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part of one of the girls.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Chrissie in her private talks with her chum upheld that view of the matter, but Marjorie had her own opinions.
not accessible to view
From this reading She often looked at Miss Norton and wondered what secrets were hidden under that calm exterior.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
a message received and understood
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
plural of “interval” — a definite length of time marked off by two instants
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she came to the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part of one of the girls.
a humorous anecdote or remark intended to provoke laughter
From this reading After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she came to the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part of one of the girls.
an artificial source of visible illumination
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
past form of “lock” — fasten with a lock
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
past form of “look” — perceive with attention; direct one's gaze towards
From this reading She often looked at Miss Norton and wondered what secrets were hidden under that calm exterior.
produced by a manufacturing process
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
Marjorie
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Chrissie in her private talks with her chum upheld that view of the matter, but Marjorie had her own opinions.
a vaguely specified concern
From this reading Chrissie in her private talks with her chum upheld that view of the matter, but Marjorie had her own opinions.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading She often looked at Miss Norton and wondered what secrets were hidden under that calm exterior.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
MorrisonnounUS /ˈmɔːrɪsən/
United States rock singer (1943-1971)
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
used to form the superlative
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
used to say something is necessary, or almost certainly true
From this reading After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she came to the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part of one of the girls.
NationsnounUS /ˈneɪʃənz/
plural of “nation” — a politically organized body of people under a single government
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
not any; not one
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
Norton
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading She often looked at Miss Norton and wondered what secrets were hidden under that calm exterior.
not one thing; not anything
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
ObservatorynounUS /əbˈzɜːrvətɔːri/
a building designed and equipped to observe astronomical phenomena
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
inflected form of “occur” — come to pass
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
many times at short intervals
From this reading She often looked at Miss Norton and wondered what secrets were hidden under that calm exterior.
(used especially of persons) having lived for a relatively long time or attained a specific age
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she came to the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part of one of the girls.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she came to the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part of one of the girls.
plural of “opinion” — a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty
From this reading Chrissie in her private talks with her chum upheld that view of the matter, but Marjorie had her own opinions.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading Chrissie in her private talks with her chum upheld that view of the matter, but Marjorie had her own opinions.
something determined in relation to something that includes it
From this reading After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she came to the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part of one of the girls.
patrolnounUS /pəˈtroʊl/
a detachment used for security or reconnaissance
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
concerned with actual use or practice
From this reading After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she came to the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part of one of the girls.
confined to particular persons or groups or providing privacy
From this reading Chrissie in her private talks with her chum upheld that view of the matter, but Marjorie had her own opinions.
rigidadjectiveUS /ˈrɪdʒəd/
incapable of or resistant to bending
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
secretsnounUS /ˈsiːkrəts/
plural of “secret” — something that should remain hidden from others (especially information that is not to be passed on)
From this reading She often looked at Miss Norton and wondered what secrets were hidden under that calm exterior.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
signalsnounUS /ˈsɪɡnəlz/
plural of “signal” — any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
an impression that something might be the case
From this reading After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she came to the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part of one of the girls.
talksnounUS /tɔːks/
a discussion intended to produce an agreement
From this reading Chrissie in her private talks with her chum upheld that view of the matter, but Marjorie had her own opinions.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she came to the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part of one of the girls.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading She often looked at Miss Norton and wondered what secrets were hidden under that calm exterior.
upheldverbUS /əpˈheld/
inflected form of “uphold” — keep or maintain in unaltered condition; cause to remain or last
From this reading Chrissie in her private talks with her chum upheld that view of the matter, but Marjorie had her own opinions.
a way of regarding situations or topics etc.
From this reading Chrissie in her private talks with her chum upheld that view of the matter, but Marjorie had her own opinions.
vigilancenounUS /ˈvɪdʒələns/
the process of paying close and continuous attention
From this reading After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she came to the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part of one of the girls.
look attentively
From this reading She locked the door of the Observatory, and caused the old gardener to patrol the grounds at intervals after dark to watch for further signals, but nothing more occurred.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading After weeks of vigilance and suspicion she came to the conclusion that it must have been a practical joke on the part of one of the girls.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading She often looked at Miss Norton and wondered what secrets were hidden under that calm exterior.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading She often looked at Miss Norton and wondered what secrets were hidden under that calm exterior.
which person or people
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
a framework of wood or metal that contains a glass windowpane and is built into a wall or roof to admit light or air
From this reading The Dance of the Nations Though Mrs. Morrison made the most rigid enquiries she could get no information as to who had placed the lamp in the window.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Chrissie in her private talks with her chum upheld that view of the matter, but Marjorie had her own opinions.
past form of “wonder” — have a wish or desire to know something
From this reading She often looked at Miss Norton and wondered what secrets were hidden under that calm exterior.
