used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading Many a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning a lack of excitement, and now here it was.
bemoaningverbUS /bɪˈmoʊnɪŋ/
-ing form of “bemoan” — regret strongly
From this reading Many a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning a lack of excitement, and now here it was.
BURGLARnounUS /ˈbɝː.ɡlɚ/
A person who commits illegal entry into a building with intent to steal valuable treasures.
From this reading BURGLAR HUNTING.
a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading Many a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning a lack of excitement, and now here it was.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading Mark waited a moment for the others to join him and then side by side they stood and peered into the darkness.
definite but not specified or identified
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
complainverbUS /kəmˈpleɪn/
express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness
From this reading So they had no right to complain.
creepingnounUS /ˈkriːpɪŋ/
a slow mode of locomotion on hands and knees or dragging the body
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
absence of light or illumination
From this reading Mark waited a moment for the others to join him and then side by side they stood and peered into the darkness.
arising from or marked by despair or loss of hope
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
to a distinctly greater extent or degree than is common
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading Many a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning a lack of excitement, and now here it was.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading Many a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning a lack of excitement, and now here it was.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Many a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning a lack of excitement, and now here it was.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading Many a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning a lack of excitement, and now here it was.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading Many a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning a lack of excitement, and now here it was.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Mark waited a moment for the others to join him and then side by side they stood and peered into the darkness.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
the pursuit and killing or capture of wild animals regarded as a sport
From this reading BURGLAR HUNTING.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading Mark waited a moment for the others to join him and then side by side they stood and peered into the darkness.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
become part of; become a member of a group or organization
From this reading Mark waited a moment for the others to join him and then side by side they stood and peered into the darkness.
plural of “know” — the fact of being aware of information that is known to few people
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
the state of needing something that is absent or unavailable
From this reading Many a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning a lack of excitement, and now here it was.
an adult person who is male (as opposed to a woman)
From this reading Many a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning a lack of excitement, and now here it was.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading Many a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning a lack of excitement, and now here it was.
attach a tag or label to
From this reading Mark waited a moment for the others to join him and then side by side they stood and peered into the darkness.
a particular point in time
From this reading Mark waited a moment for the others to join him and then side by side they stood and peered into the darkness.
the time after sunset and before sunrise while it is dark outside
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
not any; not one
From this reading So they had no right to complain.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading Many a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning a lack of excitement, and now here it was.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading Many a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning a lack of excitement, and now here it was.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
others
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mark waited a moment for the others to join him and then side by side they stood and peered into the darkness.
peeredverbUS /pɪrd/
past form of “peer” — look searchingly
From this reading Mark waited a moment for the others to join him and then side by side they stood and peered into the darkness.
precisely, exactly
From this reading So they had no right to complain.
shrunkverbUS /ʃrʌŋk/
inflected form of “shrink” — wither, as with a loss of moisture
From this reading Many a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning a lack of excitement, and now here it was.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading Mark waited a moment for the others to join him and then side by side they stood and peered into the darkness.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
in or at or to some place
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading Mark waited a moment for the others to join him and then side by side they stood and peered into the darkness.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted
From this reading Many a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning a lack of excitement, and now here it was.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Many a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning a lack of excitement, and now here it was.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading Mark waited a moment for the others to join him and then side by side they stood and peered into the darkness.
in or at that place or location
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading So they had no right to complain.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading Many a man has shrunk from that task; but the three had been bemoaning a lack of excitement, and now here it was.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading So they had no right to complain.
uncannyadjectiveUS /ənˈkæni/
suggesting the operation of supernatural influences
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading Mark waited a moment for the others to join him and then side by side they stood and peered into the darkness.
migratory
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was an uncanny business wandering about a dark house at night; it is especially so if it be a strange house and if one knows for certain that there is a desperate burglar creeping about somewhere in it.
