used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
Alec
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
the feeling that accompanies something extremely surprising
From this reading The two men sprang to their feet, and Mrs Forbes stared with gratified amazement.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
react verbally
From this reading "Why didn't you answer my last letter, Alec?" she said.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
behindprepositionUS /bɪˈhaɪnd/
at or toward the back of something
From this reading It had dropped behind some books, and he had never seen it.
Bound written or printed works.
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
inflected form of “come” — move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
a game played with playing cards
From this reading The place was crowded with signs of intellectual labour, and not even a pack of cards was visible.
overlaid or spread or topped with or enclosed within something; sometimes used as a combining form
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
overfilled or compacted or concentrated
From this reading The place was crowded with signs of intellectual labour, and not even a pack of cards was visible.
Cupples
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
didn't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Why didn't you answer my last letter, Alec?" she said.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
inflected form of “drop” — let fall to the ground
From this reading It had dropped behind some books, and he had never seen it.
divisible by two
From this reading The place was crowded with signs of intellectual labour, and not even a pack of cards was visible.
plural of “foot” — the part of the leg of a human being below the ankle joint
From this reading The two men sprang to their feet, and Mrs Forbes stared with gratified amazement.
Forbes
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
gratifiedadjectiveUS /ˈɡrætəfaɪd/
having received what was desired
From this reading The two men sprang to their feet, and Mrs Forbes stared with gratified amazement.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading It had dropped behind some books, and he had never seen it.
not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading It had dropped behind some books, and he had never seen it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
of or associated with or requiring the use of the mind
From this reading The place was crowded with signs of intellectual labour, and not even a pack of cards was visible.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It had dropped behind some books, and he had never seen it.
deliver a sharp blow or push
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
a social class comprising those who do manual labor or work for wages
From this reading The place was crowded with signs of intellectual labour, and not even a pack of cards was visible.
landladynounUS /ˈlændleɪdi/
a landlord who is a woman
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
immediately past
From this reading "Why didn't you answer my last letter, Alec?" she said.
a written message addressed to a person or organization
From this reading "Why didn't you answer my last letter, Alec?" she said.
the force of workers available
From this reading The two men sprang to their feet, and Mrs Forbes stared with gratified amazement.
a form of address for a man
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
a form of address for a married woman
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
belonging to the person speaking
From this reading "Why didn't you answer my last letter, Alec?" she said.
not ever; at no time in the past or future
From this reading It had dropped behind some books, and he had never seen it.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading The place was crowded with signs of intellectual labour, and not even a pack of cards was visible.
occurrencenounUS /əˈkɜːrəns/
an event that happens
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading The place was crowded with signs of intellectual labour, and not even a pack of cards was visible.
arrange in a container
From this reading The place was crowded with signs of intellectual labour, and not even a pack of cards was visible.
writing that provides information (especially information of an official nature)
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading The place was crowded with signs of intellectual labour, and not even a pack of cards was visible.
rarestadjectiveUS /ˈrerəst/
superlative of “rare” — not widely known; especially valued for its uncommonness
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
regionnounUS /ˈriːdʒən/
the extended spatial location of something
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "Why didn't you answer my last letter, Alec?" she said.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading It had dropped behind some books, and he had never seen it.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "Why didn't you answer my last letter, Alec?" she said.
plural of “sign” — a perceptible indication of something not immediately apparent (as a visible clue that something has happened)
From this reading The place was crowded with signs of intellectual labour, and not even a pack of cards was visible.
skyey
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading It had dropped behind some books, and he had never seen it.
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading The two men sprang to their feet, and Mrs Forbes stared with gratified amazement.
past form of “stare” — look at with fixed eyes
From this reading The two men sprang to their feet, and Mrs Forbes stared with gratified amazement.
a set of data arranged in rows and columns
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading The two men sprang to their feet, and Mrs Forbes stared with gratified amazement.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading The two men sprang to their feet, and Mrs Forbes stared with gratified amazement.
usheredverbUS /ˈʌʃərd/
past form of “usher” — take (someone) to their seats, as in theaters or auditoriums
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
capable of being seen; or open to easy view
From this reading The place was crowded with signs of intellectual labour, and not even a pack of cards was visible.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The place was crowded with signs of intellectual labour, and not even a pack of cards was visible.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
at the time that
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading "Why didn't you answer my last letter, Alec?" she said.
in the company of; together with
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
exert oneself by doing mental or physical work for a purpose or out of necessity
From this reading Mr Cupples and Alec were hard at work�-the table covered with books and papers; when a knock came to the door�-the rarest occurrence in that skyey region�-and the landlady ushered in Mrs Forbes.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "Why didn't you answer my last letter, Alec?" she said.
