used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
afterprepositionUS /ˈæftər/
later than; following
From this reading But that was after the fact.
happening at a time subsequent to a reference time
From this reading Any tenderfoot of them all would have been less blunt-witted, he told himself afterward in much bitterness of spirit.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading Any tenderfoot of them all would have been less blunt-witted, he told himself afterward in much bitterness of spirit.
aloenounUS /ˈæloʊ/
succulent plants having rosettes of leaves usually with fiber like hemp and spikes of showy flowers; found chiefly in Africa
From this reading While he was smoking his cigar on the box and tasting some of the aloe dregs of the cup of lapsings, Harding was making the most of his opportunity.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading Any tenderfoot of them all would have been less blunt-witted, he told himself afterward in much bitterness of spirit.
aptadjectiveUS /æpt/
(usually followed by “to”) naturally disposed toward
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
assumeverbUS /əˈsuːm/
take to be the case or to be true; accept without verification or proof
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Any tenderfoot of them all would have been less blunt-witted, he told himself afterward in much bitterness of spirit.
bitternessnounUS /ˈbɪtərnəs/
a feeling of deep and bitter anger and ill-will
From this reading Any tenderfoot of them all would have been less blunt-witted, he told himself afterward in much bitterness of spirit.
exhale hard
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
blundersnounUS /ˈblʌndərz/
plural of “blunder” — an embarrassing mistake
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
blunt-witted
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Any tenderfoot of them all would have been less blunt-witted, he told himself afterward in much bitterness of spirit.
a (usually rectangular) container; may have a lid
From this reading While he was smoking his cigar on the box and tasting some of the aloe dregs of the cup of lapsings, Harding was making the most of his opportunity.
BrantnounUS /brænt/
small dark geese that breed in the north and migrate southward
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But that was after the fact.
exercising caution or showing care or attention
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
cigarnounUS /sɪˈɡɑːr/
a roll of tobacco for smoking
From this reading While he was smoking his cigar on the box and tasting some of the aloe dregs of the cup of lapsings, Harding was making the most of his opportunity.
commendverbUS /kəˈmend/
express approval of
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
a small open container usually used for drinking; usually has a handle
From this reading While he was smoking his cigar on the box and tasting some of the aloe dregs of the cup of lapsings, Harding was making the most of his opportunity.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
dregsnounUS /dreɡz/
sediment that has settled at the bottom of a liquid
From this reading While he was smoking his cigar on the box and tasting some of the aloe dregs of the cup of lapsings, Harding was making the most of his opportunity.
a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
From this reading But that was after the fact.
past form of “fail” — fail to do something; leave something undone
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
foreseenverbUS /ˌfɔːrˈsiːn/
inflected form of “foresee” — realize beforehand
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
HardingnounUS /ˈhɑːrdɪŋ/
29th President of the United States; two of his appointees were involved in the Teapot Dome scandal (1865-1823)
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
heroicadjectiveUS /hɪˈroʊɪk/
very imposing or impressive; surpassing the ordinary (especially in size or scale)
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading Any tenderfoot of them all would have been less blunt-witted, he told himself afterward in much bitterness of spirit.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading While he was smoking his cigar on the box and tasting some of the aloe dregs of the cup of lapsings, Harding was making the most of his opportunity.
a period of time equal to 1/24th of a day
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
used to add a contrasting statement
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
used when the thing doing the action is also its object
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
Langford
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
lapsings
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading While he was smoking his cigar on the box and tasting some of the aloe dregs of the cup of lapsings, Harding was making the most of his opportunity.
used to form the comparative of some adjectives and adverbs
From this reading Any tenderfoot of them all would have been less blunt-witted, he told himself afterward in much bitterness of spirit.
engage in
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
the act that results in something coming to be
From this reading While he was smoking his cigar on the box and tasting some of the aloe dregs of the cup of lapsings, Harding was making the most of his opportunity.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
used to form the superlative
From this reading While he was smoking his cigar on the box and tasting some of the aloe dregs of the cup of lapsings, Harding was making the most of his opportunity.
to a great degree or extent
From this reading Any tenderfoot of them all would have been less blunt-witted, he told himself afterward in much bitterness of spirit.
not any; not one
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading While he was smoking his cigar on the box and tasting some of the aloe dregs of the cup of lapsings, Harding was making the most of his opportunity.
a possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances
From this reading While he was smoking his cigar on the box and tasting some of the aloe dregs of the cup of lapsings, Harding was making the most of his opportunity.
preventiveadjectiveUS /prɪˈventɪv/
preventing or contributing to the prevention of disease
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
one of four equal parts
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
rescuernounUS /ˈreskjuːər/
a person who rescues you from harm or danger
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
free from danger or the risk of harm
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
used to say what is right, expected, or advisable
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
the act of smoking tobacco or other substances
From this reading While he was smoking his cigar on the box and tasting some of the aloe dregs of the cup of lapsings, Harding was making the most of his opportunity.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading While he was smoking his cigar on the box and tasting some of the aloe dregs of the cup of lapsings, Harding was making the most of his opportunity.
the vital principle or animating force within living things
From this reading Any tenderfoot of them all would have been less blunt-witted, he told himself afterward in much bitterness of spirit.
believed likely
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
tastingnounUS /ˈteɪstɪŋ/
a small amount (especially of food or wine)
From this reading While he was smoking his cigar on the box and tasting some of the aloe dregs of the cup of lapsings, Harding was making the most of his opportunity.
tenderfootnoun
an inexperienced person (especially someone inexperienced in outdoor living)
From this reading Any tenderfoot of them all would have been less blunt-witted, he told himself afterward in much bitterness of spirit.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
the people or things already mentioned, as the object
From this reading Any tenderfoot of them all would have been less blunt-witted, he told himself afterward in much bitterness of spirit.
thoroughadjectiveUS /ˈθɜːroʊ/
painstakingly careful and accurate
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading Any tenderfoot of them all would have been less blunt-witted, he told himself afterward in much bitterness of spirit.
uninterruptedadjectiveUS /ˌʌnɪntərˈʌptɪd/
having undisturbed continuity
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
the act of using
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading But that was after the fact.
at the time that
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
WhileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading While he was smoking his cigar on the box and tasting some of the aloe dregs of the cup of lapsings, Harding was making the most of his opportunity.
William
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
in the company of; together with
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading A BLOW IN THE DARK WHEN a careful man blunders he is apt to make thorough work of it.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading If Brant had suspected the use Harding would make of an uninterrupted quarter of an hour with William Langford, it is safe to assume that no preventive, however heroic, would have failed to commend itself to the rescuer; and he should have foreseen.
