used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading "We can't keep the hero hanging about sixteen years before we bring him in," said Harry.
(quantifier) used with either mass or count nouns to indicate the whole number or amount of or every one of a class
From this reading "It strikes me," said Harry dubiously, "he ought to be in it all through.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
one more of the same kind, or a different one
From this reading As we undressed that evening another point was cleared up.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading As we undressed that evening another point was cleared up.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading "Humph," I observed, "unless we said `sixteen years passed' at the end of the first chapter, and then we might get him in in the second."
the sister of your father or mother; the wife of your uncle
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading "It strikes me," said Harry dubiously, "he ought to be in it all through.
earlier than; in front of
From this reading "We can't keep the hero hanging about sixteen years before we bring him in," said Harry.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading "We can't keep the hero hanging about sixteen years before we bring him in," said Harry.
can't
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "We can't keep the hero hanging about sixteen years before we bring him in," said Harry.
a subdivision of a written work; usually numbered and titled
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
rid of objects or obstructions such as e.g. trees and brush
From this reading As we undressed that evening another point was cleared up.
condemnedverbUS /kənˈdemd/
past form of “condemn” — express strong disapproval of
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
dubiouslyadverbUS /ˈduːbiəsliː/
in a questionable and dubious manner
From this reading "It strikes me," said Harry dubiously, "he ought to be in it all through.
either extremity of something that has length
From this reading "Humph," I observed, "unless we said `sixteen years passed' at the end of the first chapter, and then we might get him in in the second."
the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall)
From this reading As we undressed that evening another point was cleared up.
executionnounUS /ˌeksəˈkjuːʃən/
putting a condemned person to death
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading "Humph," I observed, "unless we said `sixteen years passed' at the end of the first chapter, and then we might get him in in the second."
come into the possession of something concrete or abstract
From this reading "Humph," I observed, "unless we said `sixteen years passed' at the end of the first chapter, and then we might get him in in the second."
decoration that is hung (as a tapestry) on a wall or over a window
From this reading "We can't keep the hero hanging about sixteen years before we bring him in," said Harry.
annoy continually or chronically
From this reading "We can't keep the hero hanging about sixteen years before we bring him in," said Harry.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading "It strikes me," said Harry dubiously, "he ought to be in it all through.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
a man distinguished by exceptional courage and nobility and strength
From this reading "We can't keep the hero hanging about sixteen years before we bring him in," said Harry.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "We can't keep the hero hanging about sixteen years before we bring him in," said Harry.
Humph
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading "Humph," I observed, "unless we said `sixteen years passed' at the end of the first chapter, and then we might get him in in the second."
the person speaking or writing, as the subject of the verb
From this reading "Humph," I observed, "unless we said `sixteen years passed' at the end of the first chapter, and then we might get him in in the second."
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
cause to continue in a certain state, position, or activity; e.g., “keep clean”
From this reading "We can't keep the hero hanging about sixteen years before we bring him in," said Harry.
immediately past
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
the person speaking, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading "It strikes me," said Harry dubiously, "he ought to be in it all through.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading "Humph," I observed, "unless we said `sixteen years passed' at the end of the first chapter, and then we might get him in in the second."
discovered or determined by scientific observation
From this reading "Humph," I observed, "unless we said `sixteen years passed' at the end of the first chapter, and then we might get him in in the second."
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading "Humph," I observed, "unless we said `sixteen years passed' at the end of the first chapter, and then we might get him in in the second."
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
used with “to” to say what is right or advisable
From this reading "It strikes me," said Harry dubiously, "he ought to be in it all through.
belonging to the speaker and others
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
past form of “pass” — go across or through
From this reading "Humph," I observed, "unless we said `sixteen years passed' at the end of the first chapter, and then we might get him in in the second."
a geometric element that has position but no extension
From this reading As we undressed that evening another point was cleared up.
people in general considered as a whole
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
being the one previously mentioned or spoken of
From this reading "We can't keep the hero hanging about sixteen years before we bring him in," said Harry.
SarahnounUS /ˈserə/
(Old Testament) the wife of Abraham and mother of Isaac
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
1/60 of a minute; the basic unit of time adopted under the Systeme International d'Unites
From this reading "Humph," I observed, "unless we said `sixteen years passed' at the end of the first chapter, and then we might get him in in the second."
secretlyadverbUS /ˈsiːkrɪtli/
in secrecy; not openly
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
sixteenadjectiveUS /sɪkˈstiːn/
being one more than fifteen
From this reading "We can't keep the hero hanging about sixteen years before we bring him in," said Harry.
a point located with respect to surface features of some region
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
strikesnounUS /straɪks/
plural of “strike” — a group's refusal to work in protest against low pay or bad work conditions
From this reading "It strikes me," said Harry dubiously, "he ought to be in it all through.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading As we undressed that evening another point was cleared up.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors)
From this reading "Humph," I observed, "unless we said `sixteen years passed' at the end of the first chapter, and then we might get him in in the second."
from one end or side of something to the other
From this reading "It strikes me," said Harry dubiously, "he ought to be in it all through.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
undressedadjectiveUS /ənˈdrest/
of lumber or stone or hides; not finished or dressed
From this reading As we undressed that evening another point was cleared up.
except if; if not
From this reading "Humph," I observed, "unless we said `sixteen years passed' at the end of the first chapter, and then we might get him in in the second."
being or moving higher in position or greater in some value; being above a former position or level
From this reading As we undressed that evening another point was cleared up.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
the speaker together with one or more other people
From this reading It was Aunt Sarah! and we secretly condemned her on the spot to a public execution in our last chapter.
a late time of life
From this reading "We can't keep the hero hanging about sixteen years before we bring him in," said Harry.
