used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
a suite of rooms usually on one floor of an apartment house
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
assentnounUS /əˈsent/
agreement with a statement or proposal to do something
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading “Well, I’m not a magnate, Monsieur du Chainat, but I would like to talk it over with you.
with self-possession (especially in times of stress)
From this reading The next instant he was speaking calmly, quietly.
inflected form of “catch” — discover or come upon accidentally, suddenly, or unexpectedly; catch somebody doing something or in a certain state
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
past form of “cease” — put an end to a state or an activity
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
Chainat
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, I’m not a magnate, Monsieur du Chainat, but I would like to talk it over with you.
du
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, I’m not a magnate, Monsieur du Chainat, but I would like to talk it over with you.
eh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Too small a proposition for him to tackle, eh?” he observed.
elationnounUS /ɪˈleɪʃən/
an exhilarating psychological state of pride and optimism; an absence of depression
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
clearly revealed to the mind or the senses or judgment
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
the upper part of the human body or the front part of the body in animals; contains the face and brains
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading “Too small a proposition for him to tackle, eh?” he observed.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading “Well, I’m not a magnate, Monsieur du Chainat, but I would like to talk it over with you.
I'm
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading “Well, I’m not a magnate, Monsieur du Chainat, but I would like to talk it over with you.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading The next instant he was speaking calmly, quietly.
intentlyadverbUS /ˌɪnˈtentli/
with strained or eager attention
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
prefer or wish to do something
From this reading “Well, I’m not a magnate, Monsieur du Chainat, but I would like to talk it over with you.
past form of “listen” — hear with intention
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
magnatenounUS /ˈmæɡnət/
a very wealthy or powerful businessman
From this reading “Well, I’m not a magnate, Monsieur du Chainat, but I would like to talk it over with you.
a unit of time equal to 60 seconds or 1/60th of an hour
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
monosyllabicadjective
having or characterized by or consisting of one syllable
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
used as a French courtesy title; equivalent to English “Mr”
From this reading “Well, I’m not a magnate, Monsieur du Chainat, but I would like to talk it over with you.
immediately following in time or order
From this reading The next instant he was speaking calmly, quietly.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading “Well, I’m not a magnate, Monsieur du Chainat, but I would like to talk it over with you.
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading “Too small a proposition for him to tackle, eh?” he observed.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading “Well, I’m not a magnate, Monsieur du Chainat, but I would like to talk it over with you.
with little or no delay
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
propositionnounUS /ˌprɑːpəˈzɪʃən/
(logic) a statement that affirms or denies something and is either true or false
From this reading “Too small a proposition for him to tackle, eh?” he observed.
querynounUS /ˈkwiːri/
an instance of questioning
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
with low volume
From this reading The next instant he was speaking calmly, quietly.
receivernounUS /rəˈsiːvər/
set that receives radio or tv signals
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
only a very short time before
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
shrilled
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
the cardinal number that is the sum of five and one
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading “Too small a proposition for him to tackle, eh?” he observed.
change one's facial expression by spreading the lips, often to signal pleasure
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
(quantifier) used with either mass nouns or plural count nouns to indicate an unspecified number or quantity
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
the utterance of intelligible speech
From this reading The next instant he was speaking calmly, quietly.
inflected form of “spring” — move forward by leaps and bounds
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
Storm'snounUS /stɔːrmz/
possessive form of “storm” — a violent weather condition with winds 64-72 knots (11 on the Beaufort scale) and precipitation and thunder and lightning
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
tacklenounUS /ˈtækəl/
the person who plays that position on a football team
From this reading “Too small a proposition for him to tackle, eh?” he observed.
exchange thoughts; talk with
From this reading “Well, I’m not a magnate, Monsieur du Chainat, but I would like to talk it over with you.
telephonenounUS /ˈteləfoʊn/
electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
inflected form of “throw” — propel through the air
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
to a degree exceeding normal or proper limits
From this reading “Too small a proposition for him to tackle, eh?” he observed.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
communicated in words
From this reading He uttered a quick monosyllabic assent to some evident query, listened intently for a minute and then threw back his head in a smile of elation.
vibratingverbUS /ˈvaɪbreɪtɪŋ/
-ing form of “vibrate” — shake, quiver, or throb; move back and forth rapidly, usually in an uncontrolled manner
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The next instant he was speaking calmly, quietly.
(often used as a combining form) in a good or proper or satisfactory manner or to a high standard (“good” is a nonstandard dialectal variant for “well”)
From this reading “Well, I’m not a magnate, Monsieur du Chainat, but I would like to talk it over with you.
at the time that
From this reading Luck Promptly at six that evening the telephone in Storm’s apartment shrilled, and it had scarcely ceased vibrating when he sprang to it and caught up the receiver.
in the company of; together with
From this reading “Well, I’m not a magnate, Monsieur du Chainat, but I would like to talk it over with you.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading “Well, I’m not a magnate, Monsieur du Chainat, but I would like to talk it over with you.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading “Well, I’m not a magnate, Monsieur du Chainat, but I would like to talk it over with you.
