used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading DISCOVERIES The whole school was thrown into a ferment of excitement over the discovery of Marcia's disappearance.
anew
From this reading The school buildings were searched again, with no result.
(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 Miss Harland telephoned to all her friends in the town with whom Marcia might be supposed to be staying, but no one had seen her or heard from her.
any person at all
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading Miss Harland telephoned to all her friends in the town with whom Marcia might be supposed to be staying, but no one had seen her or heard from her.
warm-blooded egg-laying vertebrates characterized by feathers and forelimbs modified as wings
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
plural of “building” — a structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place
From this reading The school buildings were searched again, with no result.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
definitely or positively (“sure” is sometimes used informally for “surely”)
From this reading No one had seen Marcia go out; yet she was certainly not in the school.
disappearancenounUS /ˌdɪsəˈpɪrəns/
the act of leaving secretly or without explanation
From this reading DISCOVERIES The whole school was thrown into a ferment of excitement over the discovery of Marcia's disappearance.
DISCOVERIESnounUS /dɪˈskʌvəriz/
plural of “discovery” — the act of discovering something
From this reading DISCOVERIES The whole school was thrown into a ferment of excitement over the discovery of Marcia's disappearance.
the act of discovering something
From this reading DISCOVERIES The whole school was thrown into a ferment of excitement over the discovery of Marcia's disappearance.
indicating exactness or preciseness
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
the feeling of lively and cheerful joy
From this reading DISCOVERIES The whole school was thrown into a ferment of excitement over the discovery of Marcia's disappearance.
widely known and esteemed
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
fermentnounUS /fərˈment/
a state of agitation or turbulent change or development
From this reading DISCOVERIES The whole school was thrown into a ferment of excitement over the discovery of Marcia's disappearance.
inflected form of “fly” — travel through the air; be airborne
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
plural of “friend” — a person you know well and regard with affection and trust
From this reading Miss Harland telephoned to all her friends in the town with whom Marcia might be supposed to be staying, but no one had seen her or heard from her.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically
From this reading No one had seen Marcia go out; yet she was certainly not in the school.
gossipingnounUS /ˈɡɑːsəpɪŋ/
a conversation that spreads personal information about other people
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading No one had seen Marcia go out; yet she was certainly not in the school.
Harland
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading Miss Harland telephoned to all her friends in the town with whom Marcia might be supposed to be staying, but no one had seen her or heard from her.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading Miss Harland telephoned to all her friends in the town with whom Marcia might be supposed to be staying, but no one had seen her or heard from her.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading Miss Harland telephoned to all her friends in the town with whom Marcia might be supposed to be staying, but no one had seen her or heard from her.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading No one had seen Marcia go out; yet she was certainly not in the school.
intoprepositionUS /ˈɪntuː/
moving to the inside of something
From this reading DISCOVERIES The whole school was thrown into a ferment of excitement over the discovery of Marcia's disappearance.
belonging to the thing or animal already mentioned
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
Marcia
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading No one had seen Marcia go out; yet she was certainly not in the school.
Marcia's
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading DISCOVERIES The whole school was thrown into a ferment of excitement over the discovery of Marcia's disappearance.
used to say something is possible but not certain
From this reading Miss Harland telephoned to all her friends in the town with whom Marcia might be supposed to be staying, but no one had seen her or heard from her.
fail to perceive or to catch with the senses or the mind
From this reading Miss Harland telephoned to all her friends in the town with whom Marcia might be supposed to be staying, but no one had seen her or heard from her.
information about recent and important events
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
not any; not one
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading No one had seen Marcia go out; yet she was certainly not in the school.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading DISCOVERIES The whole school was thrown into a ferment of excitement over the discovery of Marcia's disappearance.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading Miss Harland telephoned to all her friends in the town with whom Marcia might be supposed to be staying, but no one had seen her or heard from her.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading No one had seen Marcia go out; yet she was certainly not in the school.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading DISCOVERIES The whole school was thrown into a ferment of excitement over the discovery of Marcia's disappearance.
a phenomenon that follows and is caused by some previous phenomenon
From this reading The school buildings were searched again, with no result.
an educational institution
From this reading DISCOVERIES The whole school was thrown into a ferment of excitement over the discovery of Marcia's disappearance.
searchedverbUS /sɜːrtʃt/
past form of “search” — try to locate or discover, or try to establish the existence of
From this reading The school buildings were searched again, with no result.
inflected form of “see” — perceive by sight or have the power to perceive by sight
From this reading No one had seen Marcia go out; yet she was certainly not in the school.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading No one had seen Marcia go out; yet she was certainly not in the school.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
move hurridly
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
stayingverbUS /ˈsteɪɪŋ/
-ing form of “stay” — stay the same; remain in a certain state
From this reading Miss Harland telephoned to all her friends in the town with whom Marcia might be supposed to be staying, but no one had seen her or heard from her.
required or under orders
From this reading Miss Harland telephoned to all her friends in the town with whom Marcia might be supposed to be staying, but no one had seen her or heard from her.
telephonedverbUS /ˈteləfoʊnd/
past form of “telephone” — get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone
From this reading Miss Harland telephoned to all her friends in the town with whom Marcia might be supposed to be staying, but no one had seen her or heard from her.
tendencynounUS /ˈtendənsi/
an attitude of mind especially one that favors one alternative over others
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading DISCOVERIES The whole school was thrown into a ferment of excitement over the discovery of Marcia's disappearance.
caused to fall to the ground
From this reading DISCOVERIES The whole school was thrown into a ferment of excitement over the discovery of Marcia's disappearance.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
inflected form of “tell” — express in words
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
an urban area with a fixed boundary that is smaller than a city
From this reading Miss Harland telephoned to all her friends in the town with whom Marcia might be supposed to be staying, but no one had seen her or heard from her.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading DISCOVERIES The whole school was thrown into a ferment of excitement over the discovery of Marcia's disappearance.
wereauxiliary verbUS /wɜːr/
the past form of “be” used with you, we, they, or a plural noun
From this reading The school buildings were searched again, with no result.
including all components without exception; being one unit or constituting the full amount or extent or duration; complete
From this reading DISCOVERIES The whole school was thrown into a ferment of excitement over the discovery of Marcia's disappearance.
the form of “who” used as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading Miss Harland telephoned to all her friends in the town with whom Marcia might be supposed to be staying, but no one had seen her or heard from her.
in the company of; together with
From this reading No one exactly told anyone, but the news flew from lip to lip with the speed of that little bird so famous for its gossiping tendency.
but in spite of that
From this reading No one had seen Marcia go out; yet she was certainly not in the school.
