used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading Things have got a habit of happening just when they are most likely to be useful.
aloneadjectiveUS /əˈloʊn/
Having no one else present.
From this reading It is not on the stage alone that the long-lost uncle turns up, or the long-missing will is found in the cupboard.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading And you cannot invent for fiction anything half so strange as the daily coincidence of common life.
any thing at all
From this reading And you cannot invent for fiction anything half so strange as the daily coincidence of common life.
areauxiliary verbUS /ɑːr/
the form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading Things have got a habit of happening just when they are most likely to be useful.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And you cannot invent for fiction anything half so strange as the daily coincidence of common life.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Things have got a habit of happening just when they are most likely to be useful.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading NOT TWO MEN, BUT ONE Great is the power of coincidence.
cannot
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And you cannot invent for fiction anything half so strange as the daily coincidence of common life.
coincidencenounUS /koʊˈɪnsɪdəns/
an event that might have been arranged although it was really accidental
From this reading NOT TWO MEN, BUT ONE Great is the power of coincidence.
belonging to or participated in by a community as a whole; public
From this reading And you cannot invent for fiction anything half so strange as the daily coincidence of common life.
persuaded of; very sure
From this reading A tolerably long experience of the common life has convinced me of this great truth.
cupboardnounUS /ˈkʌbərd/
a small room (or recess) or cabinet used for storage space
From this reading It is not on the stage alone that the long-lost uncle turns up, or the long-missing will is found in the cupboard.
every day; without missing a day
From this reading And you cannot invent for fiction anything half so strange as the daily coincidence of common life.
undergo or live through a difficult experience
From this reading A tolerably long experience of the common life has convinced me of this great truth.
fictionnounUS /ˈfɪkʃən/
a literary work based on the imagination and not necessarily on fact
From this reading And you cannot invent for fiction anything half so strange as the daily coincidence of common life.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading And you cannot invent for fiction anything half so strange as the daily coincidence of common life.
set up or found
From this reading It is not on the stage alone that the long-lost uncle turns up, or the long-missing will is found in the cupboard.
inflected form of “get” — come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading Things have got a habit of happening just when they are most likely to be useful.
relatively large in size or number or extent; larger than others of its kind
From this reading NOT TWO MEN, BUT ONE Great is the power of coincidence.
an established custom
From this reading Things have got a habit of happening just when they are most likely to be useful.
consisting of one of two equivalent parts in value or quantity
From this reading And you cannot invent for fiction anything half so strange as the daily coincidence of common life.
happeningnounUS /ˈhæpənɪŋ/
an event that happens
From this reading Things have got a habit of happening just when they are most likely to be useful.
hasauxiliary verbUS /hæz/
the form of “have” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading A tolerably long experience of the common life has convinced me of this great truth.
haveauxiliary verbUS /hæv/
used with a past participle to form the perfect tenses
From this reading Things have got a habit of happening just when they are most likely to be useful.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It is not on the stage alone that the long-lost uncle turns up, or the long-missing will is found in the cupboard.
inventverbUS /ˌɪnˈvent/
come up with (an idea, plan, explanation, theory, or principle) after a mental effort
From this reading And you cannot invent for fiction anything half so strange as the daily coincidence of common life.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading NOT TWO MEN, BUT ONE Great is the power of coincidence.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It is not on the stage alone that the long-lost uncle turns up, or the long-missing will is found in the cupboard.
and nothing more
From this reading Things have got a habit of happening just when they are most likely to be useful.
a characteristic state or mode of living
From this reading And you cannot invent for fiction anything half so strange as the daily coincidence of common life.
has a good chance of being the case or of coming about
From this reading Things have got a habit of happening just when they are most likely to be useful.
primarily temporal sense; being or indicating a relatively great or greater than average duration or passage of time or a duration as specified
From this reading A tolerably long experience of the common life has convinced me of this great truth.
long-lost
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not on the stage alone that the long-lost uncle turns up, or the long-missing will is found in the cupboard.
long-missing
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading It is not on the stage alone that the long-lost uncle turns up, or the long-missing will is found in the cupboard.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading A tolerably long experience of the common life has convinced me of this great truth.
the force of workers available
From this reading NOT TWO MEN, BUT ONE Great is the power of coincidence.
used to form the superlative
From this reading Things have got a habit of happening just when they are most likely to be useful.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading NOT TWO MEN, BUT ONE Great is the power of coincidence.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading NOT TWO MEN, BUT ONE Great is the power of coincidence.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It is not on the stage alone that the long-lost uncle turns up, or the long-missing will is found in the cupboard.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading NOT TWO MEN, BUT ONE Great is the power of coincidence.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading It is not on the stage alone that the long-lost uncle turns up, or the long-missing will is found in the cupboard.
possession of controlling influence
From this reading NOT TWO MEN, BUT ONE Great is the power of coincidence.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading And you cannot invent for fiction anything half so strange as the daily coincidence of common life.
any distinct time period in a sequence of events
From this reading It is not on the stage alone that the long-lost uncle turns up, or the long-missing will is found in the cupboard.
being definitely out of the ordinary and unexpected; slightly odd or even a bit weird
From this reading And you cannot invent for fiction anything half so strange as the daily coincidence of common life.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading It is not on the stage alone that the long-lost uncle turns up, or the long-missing will is found in the cupboard.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading NOT TWO MEN, BUT ONE Great is the power of coincidence.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Things have got a habit of happening just when they are most likely to be useful.
any movable possession (especially articles of clothing)
From this reading Things have got a habit of happening just when they are most likely to be useful.
used for a person or thing that is near, or that has just been mentioned
From this reading A tolerably long experience of the common life has convinced me of this great truth.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Things have got a habit of happening just when they are most likely to be useful.
tolerablyadverb
in an acceptable (but not outstanding) manner
From this reading A tolerably long experience of the common life has convinced me of this great truth.
a fact that has been verified
From this reading A tolerably long experience of the common life has convinced me of this great truth.
plural of “turn” — a circular segment of a curve
From this reading It is not on the stage alone that the long-lost uncle turns up, or the long-missing will is found in the cupboard.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one or a numeral representing this number
From this reading NOT TWO MEN, BUT ONE Great is the power of coincidence.
the brother of your father or mother; the husband of your aunt
From this reading It is not on the stage alone that the long-lost uncle turns up, or the long-missing will is found in the cupboard.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading It is not on the stage alone that the long-lost uncle turns up, or the long-missing will is found in the cupboard.
being of use or service
From this reading Things have got a habit of happening just when they are most likely to be useful.
at the time that
From this reading Things have got a habit of happening just when they are most likely to be useful.
used to talk about the future, or about willingness
From this reading It is not on the stage alone that the long-lost uncle turns up, or the long-missing will is found in the cupboard.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading And you cannot invent for fiction anything half so strange as the daily coincidence of common life.
