used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
alongprepositionUS /əˈlɔːŋ/
following the length of something from one end toward the other
From this reading "I've let one of your friends out of jail and I'll bring him along with me if you don't mind."
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading CONCLUSION Mr. Cook, with Bob and Hugh, returned home.
past form of “answer” — react verbally
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
move up and down repeatedly
From this reading CONCLUSION Mr. Cook, with Bob and Hugh, returned home.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading "I've let one of your friends out of jail and I'll bring him along with me if you don't mind."
move toward, travel toward something or somebody or approach something or somebody
From this reading "I want to come up and see yez," he said.
a position or opinion or judgment reached after consideration
From this reading CONCLUSION Mr. Cook, with Bob and Hugh, returned home.
prepare a hot meal
From this reading CONCLUSION Mr. Cook, with Bob and Hugh, returned home.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
don't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I've let one of your friends out of jail and I'll bring him along with me if you don't mind."
explanationsnounUS /ˌekspləˈneɪʃənz/
plural of “explanation” — a statement that makes something comprehensible by describing the relevant structure or operation or circumstances etc.
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “a”; a small but indefinite number
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
come upon, as if by accident; meet with
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading "I've let one of your friends out of jail and I'll bring him along with me if you don't mind."
to or at a greater extent or degree or a more advanced stage (“further” is used more often than “farther” in this abstract sense)
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "I want to come up and see yez," he said.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I've let one of your friends out of jail and I'll bring him along with me if you don't mind."
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
where you live at a particular time
From this reading CONCLUSION Mr. Cook, with Bob and Hugh, returned home.
a dwelling that serves as living quarters for one or more families
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
Hugh
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading CONCLUSION Mr. Cook, with Bob and Hugh, returned home.
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "I want to come up and see yez," he said.
I'll
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I've let one of your friends out of jail and I'll bring him along with me if you don't mind."
I've
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I've let one of your friends out of jail and I'll bring him along with me if you don't mind."
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading "I've let one of your friends out of jail and I'll bring him along with me if you don't mind."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
jailnounUS /dʒeɪl/
a correctional institution used to detain persons who are in the lawful custody of the government (either accused persons awaiting trial or convicted persons serving a sentence)
From this reading "I've let one of your friends out of jail and I'll bring him along with me if you don't mind."
letauxiliary verbUS /let/
used to make a suggestion or a command including the speaker
From this reading "I've let one of your friends out of jail and I'll bring him along with me if you don't mind."
something that is lost
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "I've let one of your friends out of jail and I'll bring him along with me if you don't mind."
mean or intend to express or convey
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
The element of a person that enables awareness and thought.
From this reading "I've let one of your friends out of jail and I'll bring him along with me if you don't mind."
plural of “moment” — a particular point in time
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
a form of address for a man
From this reading CONCLUSION Mr. Cook, with Bob and Hugh, returned home.
not any; not one
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "I've let one of your friends out of jail and I'll bring him along with me if you don't mind."
past form of “offer” — make available or accessible, provide or furnish
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading "I've let one of your friends out of jail and I'll bring him along with me if you don't mind."
and nothing more
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading "I've let one of your friends out of jail and I'll bring him along with me if you don't mind."
inflected form of “ring” — sound loudly and sonorously
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
past form of “return” — go or come back to place, condition, or activity where one has been before
From this reading CONCLUSION Mr. Cook, with Bob and Hugh, returned home.
RileynounUS /ˈraɪli/
United States poet (1849-1916)
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "I want to come up and see yez," he said.
perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading "I want to come up and see yez," he said.
SergeantnounUS /ˈsɑːrdʒənt/
any of several noncommissioned officer ranks in the Army or Air Force or Marines ranking above a corporal
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
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 They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
the people, animals, or things already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
the cardinal number that is the sum of one and one and one
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
know and comprehend the nature or meaning of
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading "I want to come up and see yez," he said.
go to see a place, as for entertainment
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
feel or have a desire for; want strongly
From this reading "I want to come up and see yez," he said.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
at the time that
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
which person or people
From this reading He offered no further explanations, and the three friends were at a loss to understand what his visit could mean and who the "friend" might be.
wirenounUS /ˈwaɪər/
ligament made of metal and used to fasten things or make cages or fences etc
From this reading They had been in the house only a few moments when the telephone rang, and Mr. Cook answered it to find Sergeant Riley on the wire.
in the company of; together with
From this reading CONCLUSION Mr. Cook, with Bob and Hugh, returned home.
yez
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "I want to come up and see yez," he said.
the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I've let one of your friends out of jail and I'll bring him along with me if you don't mind."
belonging to the person or people being spoken to
From this reading "I've let one of your friends out of jail and I'll bring him along with me if you don't mind."
