used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
from one side of something to the other
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
anew
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
touching and pressing; in opposition to
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
fear resulting from the awareness of danger
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
in addition
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
the form of “a” used before a word that begins with a vowel sound
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
Antoine
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
past form of “appear” — give a certain impression or have a certain outward aspect
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
appliedadjectiveUS /əˈplaɪd/
concerned with concrete problems or data rather than with fundamental principles
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
in or to or toward a former location
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
inflected form of “blow” — exhale hard
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
exhale hard
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
take something or somebody with oneself somewhere
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
Cadillac
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
CarternounUS /ˈkɑːrtər/
Englishman and Egyptologist who in 1922 discovered and excavated the tomb of Tutankhamen (1873-1939)
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
chief'snounUS /tʃiːfs/
possessive form of “chief” — a person who is in charge
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
at or within a short distance in space or time or having elements near each other
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
in a close relation or position in time or space
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
determine the number or amount of
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
education imparted in a series of lessons or meetings
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
a Mid-Atlantic state; one of the original 13 colonies
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
defensenounUS /dɪˈfens/
(military) military action or resources protecting a country against potential enemies
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
past form of “deliver” — deliver (a speech, oration, or idea)
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
a police officer who investigates crimes
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
didauxiliary verbUS /dɪd/
the past form of “do”, used in questions and negatives
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
a swinging or sliding barrier that will close the entrance to a room or building or vehicle
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
doubtfuladjectiveUS /ˈdaʊtfəl/
open to doubt or suspicion
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
DUELnounUS /ˈduːəl/
a prearranged fight with deadly weapons by two people (accompanied by seconds) in order to settle a quarrel over a point of honor
From this reading THE DUEL IN THE TOWER.
an opposing military force
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
an adequate quantity; a quantity that is large enough to achieve a purpose
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
divisible by two
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
inflected form of “fling” — throw with force or recklessness
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
past form of “follow” — to travel behind, go after, come after
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
a powerful effect or influence
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
produced by or subjected to forcing
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
showing where something starts, or who sent it
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
motion of hands or body to emphasize or help to express a thought or feeling
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
the act of giving
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
guardsnounUS /ɡɑːrdz/
plural of “guard” — a person who keeps watch over something or someone
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
detected or perceived by the sense of hearing
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
used when the man or boy doing the action is also its object
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
hordenounUS /hɔːrd/
a vast multitude
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
on condition that; in the event that
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading THE DUEL IN THE TOWER.
a very short time (as the time it takes the eye to blink or the heart to beat)
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
without delay or hesitation; with no time intervening
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
inwardadjectiveUS /ˈɪnwərd/
relating to or existing in the mind or thoughts
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
the form of “be” used with he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
a coarse durable twill-weave cotton fabric
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
Lafetre
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
plural of “lip” — either of two fleshy folds of tissue that surround the mouth and play a role in speaking
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
the force of workers available
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
a particular point in time
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
(comparative of “much” used with mass nouns) a quantifier meaning greater in size or amount or extent or degree
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
(of actions or states) slightly short of or not quite accomplished; all but
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
NickverbUS /nɪk/
cut slightly, with a razor
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
used to mean any person in general, including the speaker
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
To move from a closed position.
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
used of mouth or eyes
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
used to join alternatives or possibilities
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
not the same one or ones already mentioned or implied
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
to some extent; in some degree; not wholly
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
situated in a particular spot or position
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
capable of happening or existing
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
the state of being present; current existence
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
pressurenounUS /ˈpreʃər/
the force applied to a unit area of surface; measured in pascals (SI unit) or in dynes (cgs unit)
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
keep from happening or arising; make impossible
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
accomplished rapidly and without delay
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
with speed
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
rappedverbUS /ræpt/
inflected form of “rap” — strike sharply
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
recognizeverbUS /ˈrekəɡnaɪz/
accept (someone) to be what is claimed or accept his power and authority
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
generally approved or compelling recognition
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
responsenounUS /rɪˈspɑːns/
a result
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
Identical; not different.
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
primarily temporal sense; indicating or being or seeming to be limited in duration
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
a place within a region identified relative to a center or reference location
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
any nonverbal action or gesture that encodes a message
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
a soft white precious univalent metallic element having the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any metal; occurs in argentite and in free form; used in coins and jewelry and tableware and photography
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
in the near future
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
that is looked for
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
staggeredverbUS /ˈstæɡərd/
past form of “stagger” — walk as if unable to control one's movements
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
past form of “start” — take the first step or steps in carrying out an action
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
the property of being physically or mentally strong
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
summonsnounUS /ˈsʌmənz/
a request to be present
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
swingverbUS /swɪŋ/
move in a curve or arc, usually with the intent of hitting
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading THE DUEL IN THE TOWER.
belonging to the people or things already mentioned
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
thresholdnounUS /ˈθreʃoʊld/
the starting point for a new state or experience
From this reading And with the same gesture Nick forced himself across the threshold, followed instantly, of course, by Antoine Lafetre, who sought to close it again as quickly as possible.
thunderingadjectiveUS /ˈθʌndərɪŋ/
sounding like thunder
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
an instance or single occasion for some event
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
a structure taller than its diameter; can stand alone or be attached to a larger building
From this reading THE DUEL IN THE TOWER.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
upsetverbUS /əpˈset/
disturb the balance or stability of
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
the vertical force exerted by a mass as a result of gravity
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
(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 But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
at the time that
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
used to introduce a clause giving more about a thing just mentioned
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
whistleverbUS /ˈwɪsəl/
make whistling sounds
From this reading In that first pressure against the door when he partly opened it, Cadillac had recognized the presence of an enemy; it is doubtful if he did not at that instant also recognize Nick Carter; and even while he staggered back from the force of the blow which the weight of the door delivered against him, he placed a silver whistle to his lips and blew upon it.
which person or people
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
in the company of; together with
From this reading The detective stood closely against the door when he rapped upon it, and the moment it started to swing open in response to the summons he applied his strength against it so that it was flung inward with a force which nearly upset Count Jean de Cadillac, who appeared on the other side.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading But quick as he was, he was not soon enough to prevent the count from giving the signal of alarm, which Lafetre well knew would be heard by one or more of the guards, and which in a short time would bring a horde of men thundering at the door in their chief’s defense.
